Kultura
Culture
A fter an incredible 60-plus years on the world stage, the news that the band’s new studio album, For- eign Tongues, is set for re- lease on 10 th July does not seem like the sentimental return of veteran rock- ers, but as something we’ve come to expect from the Rolling Stones. Three years after the Grammy-winning album Hackney Diamonds, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood returned to the studio with the energy of peo- ple who still have something to say and who, more importantly, say it louder and with more vigour than most bands that are a third their age. The album has been announced with the release of the lead single In the Stars, a track that includes a recognisable com- bination of dirty charm, a catchy chorus and an energy that sounds almost cheek- ily vital. Also released is the album’s opening track, Rough and Twisted, a raw rock ‘n’ roll song that mysteriously ap- peared previously on a limited vinyl re- lease under the pseudonym The Cock- roaches. That little guerilla trick perfectly describes the spirit of this band: even af- ter a career lasting more than six dec- ades, the Stones still enjoy playfulness and provoking the audience. That’s because the band’s story was NEW STONES Ronnie, Mick and Kieth roll again As a band that has changed the history of rock ’n’ roll more times than most acts manage to change their hairstyles, the Rolling Stones are once again proving that the usual rules don’t apply to them
Produkciju ponovo potpisuje
Endru Vat, a materijal je sniman u studiju Metropolis u Londonu The production is once again signed by Andrew Watt, with the material recorded at
Metropolis Studios in London
never about music alone. They defined the notion of a rock band as a force of culture. From the nightclubs of 1960s London to stadiums around the world; from chaotic tours and endless front- page headlines to fashion, film and so- cial influence, the Stones are much more than a group of musicians. They represent a pop culture institution that has survived changing eras, industries, technology and tastes, while never los- ing its identity. That’s precisely why it’s a fascinating fact that Foreign Tongues was recorded and cut together at London’s Metropo- lis studio in less than a month. In these times when many albums take years to produce, with endless tweaking and dig- ital levelling, the Stones chose to record quickly and instinctively in an almost old-fashioned way, relying on the chem- istry of the band. “I love doing these recording ses- sions in London at Metropolis. It was a very intense few weeks recording ‘For- eign Tongues.’ We had 14 great tracks and we went as fast as we could,“ said Jagger, adding that he likes the small recording studio that allows you to “feel the passion in the room from everyone.” And that’s the key to the survival of the Stones, who still func- tion as a band and not as a brand,
which they also became long ago. The album features, among others, Paul McCartney, Robert Smith, Steve Winwood and Chad Smith, but the most emotional element perhaps comes in the form of the final studio contribution of legendary drummer Charlie Watts. His recording of the song Hit Me in the Head, created before his 2021 death, is not a sentimental addition, but a re- minder of how much the Stones’ sound has always relied on the unobtrusive and perfectly precise rhythm that Watts brought to the band. It is also interesting how unencum- bered by expectation Foreign Tongues seems to be. There is no attempt to pur- sue modern trends or to sound “young” at any cost. Instead, this album presents a band that stands fully in its own iden- tity. Also attracting special attention is the video for In the Stars, which includes a digitally rejuvenated Jagger that’s al- most identical to the way he looked back in the ‘60s. That could have easily slipped into cheap nostalgia in other hands, but with the Stones it works as a humorous commentary on their own legend. They know how the world sees them and are clever enough to play with that image. Let’s enjoy it while we can and hope for more albums, and that the Stones are truly immortal.
Music » Muzika | 47
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