u/zabboo

I see a lot of discourse about Keith’s contributions to the new album. I have to say, after listening to the album, and from all the new interviews with him I’ve read and watched, he seems for the most part really engaged and present on Foreign Tongues.

He is acknowledged as the primary songwriter on at least Some Of Us and Side Effects, and definitively contributed opening riffs to a number of tracks including Rough And Twisted and Mr. Charm. He is credited with electric guitars on every song (always mixed in the left channel), as well as lots of acoustic, backing vocals, and even piano on Hit Me In The Head. He sings a great vocal on Some Of Us and great harmony on Ringing Hollow. He is present and working.

That said, Mick is definitely the main ideas man these days in terms of songwriting and production. Keith is a laid back elderly stoner with arthritis. He’s still sharp and passionate, but he lets Mick drive the bus. He says he’s building up energy for shows next year. We’ll see. But I think it’s silly to say he’s not present on the new album - he is my favorite Stone and I definitely hear him fully engaged, to the best of his ability at 82 years old!

P.S. In regard to Andrew Watt’s guitar credits, I’m pretty sure they’re mostly overdubs - extra licks and bits of rhythm to fill things out. I was dubious on Hackney Diamonds, but he obviously loves the Stones and it would be crazy for him to “replace” Keith.

He seemed a little disoriented during the Conan Q&A and has been absent from subsequent press things like Fallon & Tracks of My Years. Hopefully just chilling and a little less eager than Mick & Ronnie, but has anyone heard anything?

I am really enjoying the album overall, especially love a few tracks like As You Lie There, Ripples in a Pond, We Two, Life Can Be Hard, and First Star of the Night. Salesman Saint is a lovely tribute to Jim and Mary McCartney and feels like the emotional conclusion to the album.

Then we get Momma Gets By. It’s a nice melody, lovely string arrangement, but the lyrics and message… that it’s ok to have a deadbeat drug addict absentee husband / co parent if you love him? Really odd, and so impersonal! Is Paul writing from the perspective of a child? “She takes good care of me.” Doesn’t make any sense. If this does end up being his final album, I’m a little disappointed at this being the last track.

Can anyone explain this one to me so it feels more congruent with the rest of the album? Again, it’s a pretty song, but I can’t understand what the message is and why it’s the last track.