Abraxas

Really good at recreational drugs, very good at guitar, pretty good at polyrhythmic rock, only okay at turning it into songs.

Wow! I came into this dreading an album full of 9 minute songs of musical masturbatory guitar solos, but that couldn't have been further from the case. The songs were short and rocking. Guitar work was tasteful and impressive and I was blown away by the percussion section. It felt like a jazz album of rock with a Latin feel.

So Mexico didn’t pay for the wall but I had tacos for dinner and Santana is awesome It’s hard for me to assign 5 stars to an album I’m mostly hearing for the first time (except a couple songs).. but I really got into this one. His guitar sound and riffs are so nice - and the other instruments esp percussion really create a certain feeling. I’m sure I’ll listen again

Making a mental note to listen to this the next time I'm on Schedule I drugs

Wow… what an album! Of course I was super familiar with “Black Magic Woman” and “Oye Cómo Va" and went in loving them. But hearing these in the context of the album was almost like hearing them for the first time with “Singing Winds, Crying Beasts” leading in and “Gypsy Queen” in between taking these songs to an entirely new level. I’ve really been missing out only hearing them as singles. Side A is rounded out by “Incident and Neshabur” - another fantastic song. It’s complex with time signature changes flowing along on a wave of incredible percussion - an utter joy to experience. I can only imagine how great this would be live. Side B doesn’t let up and I absolutely loved it at first listen. From the joyous instrumental “Se a Cabo” into the sultry opening of “Mother’s Daughter” there is a lot to love here. The vocal performance in the latter is fantastic. A great song that I’m surprised I haven’t heard before. “Samba Pa Ti” I have heard before somewhere, but not sure it was from Santana. Really beautiful song with some incredible guitar work. “Hope Your Feeling Better” leans more towards a funk/rock vibe supported by that incredible organ and guitar work that runs through the entire album. The album closes with and exciting finish on the percussive chant-heavy “El Nicoya.”

You know I love Santana. This one feels a lot more jammier than their debut. We do get some ventures into Jazz Rock on Incident at Neshabur. I don’t think anything is like mindblowingly incredible, but Carlos is ON POINT and the songs kick ass. They fuck. Not in love with the intro, but all the other songs absolutely go hard.

I really loved this album. Santana is such an incredible guitarist, and the arrangements on this album are so complex and interesting. An all timer.

whoa - this album is incredible. I went through Santana's wikipedia and they legitimately have 60 former members

Every time I am about to listen to some Santana, I expect to like it, but end up disappointed. I do like this kind of jazz-rock with strong latin influence, but I keep feeling that something is missing.

Spy Kids

Este disco me gustó mucho, y como comenté en MDH, creo que una razón por la que me gusta es porque no es "tan Santana", en el sentido de que por lo general se asocia a Santana con requintos atascadísimos y eternos de guitarra (no que sea algo malo, por cierto). Este disco no es "sólo" de requintos de Santana. Es una mezcla exquisita de rock ácido con influencias latinas y africanas. Just sit, listen, and relax.

Santana. That name says it all in regards to guitar, and music in general. this was the first album, I had heard of Santana growing up, and it is still an amazing listen to this day

Latin rock / psych rock / jazz fusion Heavily latin-influenced album that constantly transitions to new musical ideas, similar to prog rock. 9/10

Discazo

Can't believe I've never heard more than 2 songs from this album before.

In this 1001 albums project, I feel like I have sat through a zillion late 60s white-boy psychedelic rock records, and they bore me to death. Really, when I think about it, they don't have a lot of life in them, and they meander around without much drive and they just shit me. In that context, I can see why Santana were such a dramatic success when they suddenly emerged in 1969. Their career-making appearance at Woodstock was the highlight of the festival (as far as I can tell from the film). Because they knew how to groove. The energetic rhythm drives everything, which is what all those other bands could never really get right. The Santana band can noodle as much as much as they like (and they sure do like to noodle, especially live) because you can dance to it. Despite Carlos Santana's name on the marquee, I'd like to call out Greg Rolie as the most valuable player here. His organ playing and singing really lift this record, and "Hope You're Feeling Better" is the standout original track on the record for me. That said, five (that's more than half) tracks from this album turn up on the 1974 Greatest Hits album, and deservedly so. As time went by, it became clear that Carlos Santana is a bit of a one trick pony, but it a pretty bloody great trick, and never displayed better than on this record. Personally, I prefer the self-titled album, but it's a near thing really. Between the self-titled album and Abraxas, you have all the Santana you'll ever need, but you really do need it.

Argued with myself on this one, undeniably a great album but you have to be in the right mood/frame of mind to listen to it.

Santana is undoubtedly a great guitar player. This album has black magic woman and oye como va. Overall the album isn't that great but santana needs a mention on this list

I really dug me some Santana during the late-90's "Latin takeover" of popular music (Smooth featuring Rob Thomas? ¡Muy buena!). I always felt like a poser though, because classic Santana didn't do much for me - although there are some awesome remixes of Oye como va out there. And turns out it still doesn't - it's not bad, and you do have to respect a Latino artist bringing Spanish-language tracks and the Cali experience to the mainstream for the first time since Richie Valens (is this true? Don't know, but sounds good). But most of it sounds like the jam part of a Grateful Dead album, if Jerry Garcia were really good on guitar. So #Respect Carlos, but you're still getting a big tres from me.

Always hated having to play black magic woman on guitar hero, what a bloated hunk of fudge that song is. In adulthood, it’s not bad, but not impressive. If you came up to me and said “my uncle just recorded an album, check it out!” And then started spinning this, I’d simply say “oh that’s cool” and then go on my phone

Cool grooves from time to time, but it’s a little one note for my taste. I did enjoy it, but I doubt I’ll really remember it.

Honestly didn't really enjoy this. It hasn't aged well and it is certainly note memorable or remarkable. In fact, as I am writing this my memories of having heard this album are fading....

Je sais plus ce que c'était

Cool cafe sort of music but doesn’t grab me. Don’t get the hype on Carlos’ playing.

One of the greats. Best track: Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen

IMPECÁVEL

Love this album. Found it 30 years ago in high school.

Very good, I love Santana. Black Magic Woman and Oyler Como Va were obviously the best, but all the songs were amazing

awesome

graande santanaa

klassiker

vibe

*dances*

perfeito, santana é foda

Sublime guitar work. Really can hear how he shape it for the next gen and the next gen

All-time classic. So good, from beginning to end. So many iconic tracks, too.

Very solid concept album! Oye como va Mi ritmo

One of the best albums of my life!

Unreal

Love this album

It’s quite good, mixing their Latin music with the musical stylings of free form jazz to create an exiting listen

einfach gut.

Outstanding, classic guitar hero!

Classic stuff. So well written. So many layers. Great shit.

Dope album

overall thoughts: honestly? a near-perfect if not perfect album. i could play this from beginning to end and not run into a song that don't hit. i mean, what's not to like?? sick guitar playing, percussion, keyboard, everythiiing. had a wicked headache before putting this record on, and guess what, I'm chill af now. gotta love psychedelic latin rock. a classic, 5/5. fave tracks: black magic woman, samba pa ti, mother's daughter, oye como va, hope you're feeling better (they're all great tho)

Another amazing one! Loved Santana as a kid but don’t think I realized he was making this stuff back in 1970. Killer

Now this is the stuff I'm talking about. Smooth, sexy, and confident, but with an underlying rhythmic thrust that keeps driving forward. You have classics like Black Magic Woman and Oye Come Va on this and one of the most visually striking covers ever so...come on.

Very good album, surprising! Enjoyed the fusion of sounds.

Santana could probably record his fart sounds played over guitar and drums and I would love it

Surprisingly loved, great guitar, not cheesy, good background listening

Classic songs on a classic Santana album.

10/10

9/10

stupendous!

Fucking kickass album. Favorite tracks are Black Magic Woman, Mother's Daughter, and Oye Como Va.

funky and classic

4.5/5 Quite a bit of variety, consistently exciting. Still coming around to Oye Como Va.

This is a staple album, definitely belongs on this list. Santana is an incredible guitarist and musicion, blending his culture with some amazing classic rock styles. Must listen.

Great playing by Santana, wonderful songs

Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen is a great track. Oye Como Va is also pretty sick. Incident at Neshabur is also also pretty sick. Really enjoy Mother's Daughter and Samba Pa Ti is also great - loving this album so far! Hope You're Feeling Better is sick. Honestly, what a great album! Every song is at least good and nearly all are great. First time listening through a full Santana album and I don't regret it.

I am certainly familiar with Santana, but I have never listened to this (nor any Santana) album before. I was quite pleased with it all. Honestly, previous to listening to this album, I thought that I didn't like Santana in that way. The occasional song here and there was all I thought that I was interested in. I have changed my mind on that for sure...at least for this album. I will check some other Santana albums out now too.

Santana is its own thing, isn't it? Like a genre unto itself. Instantly recognizable but hard to describe. It's even more interesting to me as the songs are from a variety of songwriters (Fleetwood Mac! Tito Puente!) and yet sound so cohesive. How is it that no one else plays the guitar like that? Copyright? Trademark? I mean, 29 years later, with another big hit album, you knew it was Santana again. Having never heard this album besides the two big songs, I really loved the ride this took me on.

Always been my fave

Love this album - sometimes you need music like this to wash over you.

the album with Oye como Va. This album was really fucking solid. Also, the album artwork absolutely fucks.

An incredible album even by today's standards. This is easily one of Santana's finest works that continues to offer me joy with each listen. Favorites: "Black Magic Woman", Oye Como Va", "Hope You're Feeling Better"

wtf

Brilliant fusion of jazz rock funk soul latin music. 1970 as well, i didn’t know how early this was. I could listen to this all day and not get bored or annoyed.

CLASSIC FOR A REASON! Love this album.

Solid smooth vibes

Not a single weak song on this whole album. I only knew the singles but I thought every track held up. Hard to believe this gem is over 50 years old, it feels just as fresh today. 5/5 stars

Excellent album, the first one better tho

I got a black magic woman Got me so blind I can't see That she's a black magic woman She's tryin' to make a devil out of me

Il s'agit de ma confiture.

First intentional brush with the legend, and I think it was an incredible first brush.

Psychedelia at its finest.

21/03/2022

Excellent fusion of genres. You have latin, jazz, blues-rock, and jam all under the hood on Abraxas. This album captures a lot of different ideas that were happening at the time in music and presents it masterfully to the world.

Mex I can

strange but great to wake up from

Thia album is beautiful, so much going on- so much rythemic and melodic texture, some of the songs even move like mini classical pieces with the way they proceed and resolve. The standout for me is Incident at Neshabur. Of course, Oye Como Va is a standout as well-along with the other hit Black Magic Women. All in all, amazing!

Loved it

Quite a treat! 9/10

Love me some Santana! Amazing guitar and great mix of rock, Latin flair and jazziness...just so entertaining and fun musically! Listened to this during my childhood and it more than holds up!!

cool

great!

Beautiful

Love it!

All around great album: this song has great Latin stuff in Oye Como Va as well as bluesier stuff like Hope You’re Feeling Better.

Awesome album from beginning to end. Santana is a rock god.

Nace una estrella

Instant classic album

Free-form-Latin-stoner music. Good stuff even if you're stone cold sober.

Very lovely. Samba Pa Ti is beautiful.

Old funky guitar rifts.

it's fucking santana, ofc i'm going to like it

Phenomenal album, creative covers. Impressive guitaring.

The best rhythm n' trip!

Got lost in some amazing guitar work