Abraxas

This album makes me feel like I'm jamming in a South American jungle. I love Santana's vibes. My favorite is the way he's able to project the guitar into the foreground where it almost sounds like it is singing. So much expression in that guitar. The real vocals fall to the background with the rest of the instruments and prop up the guitar as it shines.

Insane, zieke voorloper, elk nummer een banger

Classic Santana! Such a unique sound and vibe that makes you feel the music as one of kind.

Great from start to finish.

Fantastic latin psychedelic rock. I have a lot of respect for this band & Carlos Santana. Nearly all of their songs sound like Santeria practiced through their guitars & percussion. I have a memory of doing a full on performance with maracas to Black Magic Woman at a party when I was in my 20s. No other music could make me move like that. 4.5 stars

Fantastic album from one of the great guitarists of our time. Start to finish this one kept me moving.

I have always liked Santana and Carlos is a fantastic guitar player. They were the opening band at my first concert in 1981 with The Rolling Stones. I am of course familiar with the radio hits of this album. This is the first time I have listened to this record from start to finish and I enjoyed it very much. Classic rock with Latin influences and I like the deep track' "Hope You're Feeling Better". It had a very Deep Purple vibe. Great listen.

Pleasant enough in the background but I wouldn’t choose to put it on

Very interesting - I had never heard Santana before. Although maybe not something I will listen to a lot in the future, I did enjoy it

Delightful, delightful album. Really a perfect example of psychedelic, Jimmy Hendrix, meets jammed-out, blues guitar, great musicianship. Just feel GREAT throughout. Never too showy, but just enough on those fantastic solos to make you do a double-take. I really like how this album feels pretty sly in its brilliance. Just enough to keep you from tuning out, though a really great album to tune out to. Love it. 4/5.

That album was solid! Good funky grooves, great drums, the songs in Spanish were great, the ones in English were ok. All in all, a very impressive album by Santana!

I really wanted to like this. 3.4

Abraxas is a fuckin VIBE. Really cool to hear the synthesis of a few different cultures - latin beats & melodies combined with classic american rock. Santana shreds a bit too hard for my taste in the later part of the album, but Black Magic Woman & Oye Como Va are what make this album special.

I hadn't listened to this album in ages - probably literally decades - and forgot how great it is. Some of Santana's most popular and best tracks on here, but the whole album is great from start to finish. Carlos Santana's tone on guitar is unmistakable and he's on fire for this entire album. The rest of the band is also impressive with some fantastic percussion & organ that stood out to me on multiple tracks - all incorporating a Latin Rock/Jazz/Funk feel throughout. This is one of the few \"Albums of the Day\" recently that I immediately went back and listened to again.

Great album. Stellar guitar work. A perfect introduction to Santana and his version of Spanish electric guitar work.

Busy day yesterday, catching up four albums. This was not as good as expected, probably a bit dated thematically and sound wise.

A bit too much cowbell for one’s tastes and the vocals could not be more mediocre. But several strong moments, the best of which is the excellent “Incident at Meshabar” with its Tyneresque piano vamping and the contemplative (if slightly mawkish) “Samba pa Ti.” Decent and worth knowing though decidedly non-life altering.

Good in pockets but mostly kinda so-so. It just didn’t hold my attention the way a lot of Latin music does 🤷‍♂️ The Tito Puente track was the best.

I enjoyed this album. I wanted more Latin beats and less guitar hero stuff. Still, an enjoyable listen that makes me want to spin up more Latin music.

Beautiful guitar playing, the few times there is singing it feels superfluous. Real jams, I particularly like Oye Como Va.

When you’ve heard the hits a thousand times it is hard to put yourself back in the mind frame to appreciate just how good the music is. Great album. Samba Pa Ti pushes it from a 3.5 to a 4.

Fun album with some groovy tracks

May be one of the earliest albums I listened to. Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va for the bass lines! Sorry Steve, Carlos Santana's playing style is nice to listen to, even if it's a one-trick pony.

Classic rock is classic but I’ll boogie down to Oye Como Va all damned day. Believe that.

Sweet sounds

Awesome album with a great fusion of classic rock sounds and Latin-inspired rhythms. Santana's guitar work is particularly outstanding and I love every track (with maybe the exception of the last one but that's more of a short outro than anything)

Great guitar player

I wore this out in high school and in college study sessions. I haven't listened to it in a very long time, but it slams. The flow is great and easy to listen to with minimal lyrical involvement. Good grooves.

It's hard to rate an album with so little depth. Sure, the music is easy to dance to and cheers you up on a miserably British rainy day. But skip forward a few tracks and you realise it doesn't get any better.

Good album and I've heard some of the songs before. The A-side is better than the B-side and luckily the album length is good for the amount of instrumental focus. Any longer and it would've been tiresome.

A little too much instrumental/guitar solo stuff for my liking. Just getting back from PR, I can see how this would be OK hanging out out a beach bar, but nothing I would seek out to listen on a regular basis. Oye Como Va will always make me think of Tito Puente and Puerto Rico. A couple tunes were rockers and after Oye Como Va, were probably my favorite songs off the album, Mother's Daughter and Hope You're Feeling Better. I would have enjoyed this album a lot more if most of the songs were like these 2. Anyway, can't say I was impressed, but just another OK album. I'm going with a 3 here, but mainly for Tito's song. Me encanta Puerto Rico. 3

3 The only songs that I knew by Santana going into this were Black Magic Woman because of Guitar Hero III and that one he did with Rob Thomas from Matchbox Twenty in the 90s. I’ve never really loved either, but I’ve always found Black Magic Woman at least to be pretty decent. It also happens to be probably the best song here (and is also apparently a Fleetwood Mac cover??), but the psychedelic nature of it makes it feel a little out of place on an album that bounces back and forth between a more traditional Latin style and the occasional bluesy track. Still, I didn’t think anything here was bad, and I found Santana’s guitar work to be pretty incredible across the board regardless of the genre he was taking on, though personally, I think this could have benefitted from having more vocals throughout. I know the guitar work is what he’s known for, but I think relying less on instrumentals would have kept my interest a little more. That to say, I do have to call out one mostly instrumental track in particular, that being Oye Como Va. I kept thinking to myself “Why does this song sound so familiar?”, and wouldn’t you know it, it’s a cover of a song from my family’s favorite Puerto Rican musician and Mr. Burns murder suspect, Tito Puente. Now, I’m not certain which version of the song I’m more familiar with, it may very well be Santana’s, but regardless, it’s a song that I know I’ve heard during my stays in Puerto Rico and that was absolutely perfect to hear in preparation for my next departure to the territory. I’m sadly back home and back to work as of the submission of this review, but giving this one last listen felt like a small taste of the island’s piña coladas I hold near and dear to my heart. If you ever find yourself in or nearby Fajardo in Puerto Rico, do yourself a favor and pick one up from El Cayo. Anyway, this didn’t really alter my opinion on Santana’s music in any particular way, but I appreciated the Tito Puente cover and the memories of vacation it brought along with it.

The opening track hits you right away with the smooth psychedelic/latin beats and is a great reminder that Santana is not just Carlos and his guitar, but a very talented band. Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va became classics for a reason. Black Magic Woman in particular is one sexy song. There is not a single song on this album I did not like. This is a straight 5 - great sound, great skill, a pleasure to listen to.

# Playlist track - Samba Pa Ti # Notes - I really wish I had met this album back when I was listening to [[G3, Live in Concert]] all day. - Amazing album, some real bangers in there, and the guitar solos never get too long and tiring. - Latin beats really tie it all up together.

This album is loaded, a must have.

I was about to write this off as a very average classic rock album. While everyone knows Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va at this point, those are not the reasons to come back to this album. The beauty of this album is in its fantastic instrumental tracks. The mysterious jam of the opening track, the jazzy groove of Incident at Neshabur, and the tragic romanticism of Samba Pa Ti are what really make this album interesting. The other tracks are solid Beatles/Stones/Small Faces copies, but not nearly as notable. I’m drinking to Samba Pa Ti tonight.

Nice, but sounds dated. Not something I will go back to

Uff, este discazo me acompañó durante varios meses cuando vivia solo en el extranjero. Una salvada gloriosa.

Super cool

3.7 - I've never been gripped by Santana but I liked this album. I think he deserves a 5 but for me personally, I just don't connect with it

I’ve never been a fan of Santana, probably because of that terrible 2000s pop song with Rob Thomas. However, this album was awesome. I liked it all a lot. Fave Tracks: Oye Como Va, Se a Cabo, Mothers Daughter 4.9/5

Never properly listened to santana but this was great, particularly the first track

This album is exactly why I wanted to use the album generator. While I have heard some mid 2000s Santana I was never impressed. This album is a work of art, brimming with passion and feeling and I am so happy to be introduced to it.

Definitely sits in the upper echelon of classic rock. It doesn't try to do anything more than what it is and benefits for it. Straightforward while still having its own flavor.

Kinda psychedelic rock then you get songs like incident at neyshabur and it’s like woah what the fuck that’s pretty good I wasn’t expecting that. Lovely album Favorite song: Oye Como va Worst: none 4.1/5

Solid 8/10

It's OK, but so much of this sounded like an intro waiting to become a song. I've never been blue-balled so hard before. Well, maybe once or twice ...

Always enjoy a good latin fusion

Meh. Would probably have enjoyed it much more if I was stoned.

Elevator music; very calming instrumental rock. Great for working to.

The album art spooked me and then the guitar melted me

My bad for expecting Santeria

The perfect album for dropping acid with your older brother

Obviously Santana’s guitar is the centerpiece of this album. Sadly, I have been trained to tune out classic rock guitar, especially in the form of Oye Como Va. The highlight for me on this album is the percussion.

It's just okay

Not for me

It was ok

never listened to the non-album tracks before ( the big 'hits' are good, but heard them so many times they've become white noise, particularly Samba Pa Ti) . Standout track was Se a Cabo, so for that it's getting a 3, with the option of upgrading the album as a while as i continue to give it more of a chance.

Accomplished.

Rocking songs, complex rhythms and melodies and sublime musicianship combine to make this a classic. You feel the Woodstock vibes as soon as it starts. Roll up a fatty and enjoy one of psych rock's classic albums.

Cool cool

Not my usual vibe, but I did enjoy the fuzzy/psychy stuff in the middle of this album

Combines three things I absolutely can't stand. Jazz, Latin music, and virtuoso guitar noodling. Hope You're Feeling Better was a good tune. Saved this from being a one.

Santana! I love them! Not my very favorite album of theirs which is why I’m only giving them four stars but they are amazing.

Great music. Enjoyed that it had the feeling of a live show.

I'd never listened to Abraxas, but I love the old Greatest Hits album. So it turns out I'd already listened to most of this album. What a wonderful album. Couldn't be happier.

It started a little slow but really picked up for me by the end. Very interesting blues rock sound with enough unique twists to make it stand out. Favorite track was Samba Pa Ti.

This album is really good. Solid rhythms throughout and I really love the guitar tone. Favorite songs are Black Magic Woman, Oye Como Va, and Samba Pa Ti.

Classic- incredible musicianship

Some classics

Classic album, a Must listen

Beyond the classics it’s pretty good. Can’t believe I never listened to it before.

Some great tracks on here. Love the chilled out vibe and it didn't overstay its welcome.

Black magic woman e nice, resten gikk meg hus forbi

5.5/10 Highlights: Samba pa ti

Singing Winds, Crying Beasts - 7.5/10 Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen - 7.5/10 Oye Como Va - 7.5/10 Incident at Neshabur - 7.5/10 Se a Cabo - 7.5/10 Mother's Daughter - 7.5/10 Samba Pa Ti - 8.5/10 Hope You're Feeling Better - 8.5/10 El Nicoya - 7.5/10 TOTAL - 69.5/90

It was good, might have to investigate Santana a bit more

Absolutely revolutionary album for its time, featuring a Latin jazz rock fusion that blends so well it would become a hit in America and lead the way for psychedelic music for years to come. With clean expansive percussion, jammy but not overpowering guitar, wonderfully vintage organ chords, and forward strong bass. Truly one of the earliest jammy pieces I can truly get lost in.

So Santana was a solid first album for this to throw my way. Carlos is a classic with one of the most distinct and recognizable guitar sounds in music. A pretty great overall album if a little short, and full of energy after a bit of a sluggish start. The Latin percussion is a lot of fun. I listened to this while i was cooking dinner and it was the perfect soundtrack for that.

Classic

Groovy and Funky all at the same time. A wonderful concoction of passionate singing and a band that understands rhythm.

It was alright

Black magic woman + instrumental and spanish songs. 3

Главное, что слушать эту музыку просто "фан". Формат 1001 не предполагает прослушивание одного альбома много раз (скорее это моя проблема, что мне не хочется слушать один альбом несколько раз подряд). И мне кажется, что для оценки такого рода альбомов это очень важно: вот эту прогрессив-музыку довольно трудно воспринимать по достоинству сходу, даже если ты типа наслушанный и всё такое. Лучшая песня - Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen.

I enjoyed this far more than I expected to. Abraxas blends rock, Latin rhythms and blues in a way that feels both loose and precise. The instrumental sections are interesting and genuinely different. They never feel self indulgent and instead add colour and texture to the album. The musicianship throughout is superb, especially the percussion and guitar work. Black Magic Woman is obviously a highlight and a great tune. Smooth, hypnotic and instantly recognisable. The album flows really well from start to finish and feels cohesive rather than a collection of separate ideas. If I am being picky, it perhaps lacks that one enormous, era defining anthem that dominates the whole record, but the overall quality more than makes up for it. Favourite song: Black Magic Woman Least favourite: None that stood out negatively Album artwork: Completely nuts and all over the place, but in a way that perfectly matches the vibrant, psychedelic sound of the music

Pretty good stuff!! Definitely peaks near the beginning and has some forgettable tracks though

Nice

Love Santana from a long time ago forward! Great album.

Nothing quite like Santana

Pretty iconic album. Short and sweet, unlike a lot of the rest of the late 60s/early 70s jam nonsense this list shoves down my gullet.

Santana is very fun on guitar, and the songs are incredibly groovy.

Pure Psychedelic/Latin Rock GOLD. Me hizo sacarme unos pasitos antiguos de herencia latina.

Classic, own the vinyl

Great album by Santana! Some well-known cover hits and the album cover itself is just pure art

Groovy and fun, not much else to add to this.

I was all ready to complain after the first track about how this just sounds like the inside of a Brazilian steak house, but I’ll be damned if I wasn’t having fun the rest of the time.

I never think about Santana, and then Abraxas plays and I remember that there's really no better jammy guitar album.

Way better than I was expecting

Truly a guitar great!

carlossssss, ugh. so good. wished the album was longer, felt like it flew by so quickly.

I need more vocals. I can’t do all of these instrumental, jam band type albums any longer 😭😭 I think I could only listen to this if it was in person

wowie, also a crazy cool cover but unfortunately a bit short

Would def listen to this again and again, what a jam

My child loved this 5*

Pretty solid, the instrumentals were great. Perfect for a long car ride.

Santana is an amazing guitarist. I've always loved this album.

As much as I was dreading this after hearing a lot of this record on dive bar juke box on heavy rotation - it’s still a good and strong record - with instrumental that transcend their format and overall a pumping and fun record. Enjoyed it.

classic

Nice, pleasant and warm.

OYE COMO VA

Nice drumming

Santana is a bop. I got some good work done while listening to this album.

What’s there to say other than..Brilliant! As played by Carlos Santana.

Solid and fun, enjoyed the whole album. Nothing stood out, but nothing was bad

This was really nice

10/10

Great album!

While I recognize a lot of the songs off this album I have never listened to it all the way through. That said, I know it's going to be a good one, between 'Black Magic Woman' and 'Oye Como Va' there are some real bangers. A really fun listen, but not necessarily my favorite. 3/5

6.5/10 Pleasant surprise, not really like I expected. This is the best of the 70s classic rock albums I have heard in this project so far. Rock, latin, psych, jazz. Melting pot Great vibes, really feels like a warm summer evening in California Keyboard/organ particularly good Best: Oye Como Va

Black Magic Woman :)

3.3

Santana y su guitarra. Correcto. Sin más.

Great guitarist, but not my style.

Excellent!

Some of the most iconic Santana's songs, but the rest of the album is somehow disappointing.

1. crying beaztz - 1.5 2. black magic uuoman - 2.5 3. oye como va - 1.5 4. incident - 1.5 5. ze acabo - 1.5 6. motherz daughter - 1 7. zamba pa ti - 2.5 8. hope youre feeling better - 1 9. nicoya - 0

It was a fun time! Great mostly instrumental classic rock with grooves, latin grooves. Classic Santana. Good stuff. but not mindblowing. But really really good.

Sounds like Latin prog. Fine, quite pleasant to listen to.

Great background listen

I don’t know why I dreaded this so much. Maybe Rob Thomas has something to do with it. Way more enjoyable than expected! And short and snappy enough to not get old.

One of his better ones !

Great interplay between the band members...did not know that 'Black Magic Woman' was a cover!

Unbelievable, felt like I was on the edge of the universe looking in on something otherworldly

7.5/10

That famous Santana guitar tone just works so well with Latin music. They found a great sounding formula and just rolled with it.

I was expecting blazing guitar but got roots, world, blues drives tunes. Way better than I thought it would be.

This is exactly what Early Santana should sound like. Pass the reefer please!

This one was just fun. Good vibes, indeed.

Loved it! I’m a huge Santana fan.

Good memories are evoked

Easy listen. Songs not nearly as long as I expected based on genre and release year. Couple of really solid songs but the rest passed by without leaving much of a mark.

Haven’t heard of this. 1970s Rock album. Quite enjoying this, vibey songs. High 3 so far.

Enjoyable. All the songs are about twice as long as they need to be, but that's normal for the time.

I would probably give it a 2.5. I get that he’s one of the greats. Just not my speed.

i get i should like this more. he is objectively talented but here we are could i write poetry to this? n

It's a fine album. No other notes.

So good. We all know Santana is an all time great guitar player, but I think he's a great band leader and collaborator as well. The band sounds so tight and together that this album sounds like an amazing jam session without ever coming off the rails.

Needs more guitar solos.

A couple of bangers and some snoozers

Another classic- "Black Magic Woman" & "Oye Como Va" are staples (which is funny as they're both covers), the former being far more associated w/ Santana than the original Fleetwood Mac version (which I don't think I'd ever even heard until looking it up to check). If your boomer parents (or grandparents) leaned even slightly hippy (or if you have any Latin heritage), you've heard these songs, if not the whole album.

There are some quality jams. "Oye Como Va" was the only song I was really familiar with prior to listening. The overall flow of the album was good, but nothing really stuck out to make me want to come back to frequently. Nice grooves though.

Schon gut

vibe! did not expect mostly instrumental tho 6/7

Probably the most cohesive awesome album by Santana. Always worth a listen.

This is dinner music for a swankier event. I like the drums. Felt easy to move your hips too. Easy listening.

I liked the music from Santana very much, but I think, it is to much synthetic

Hoping for more lyrics, but guitar was great and the inclusion of Spanish instruments.

Nice, but I like the first Santana Album more

So good!

Legendary.

3.5-4 liked when it leaned into rock, like with “Samba Pa Ti” and “Hope You’re Feeling Better,” and while the classics like “Oye Como Va” and “Black Magic Woman” are great, it feels like I was listening to two different albums. I also don’t like that dangerous territory of ‘adult-contemporary-smooth-jazz-easy-listening-in-your-uncle’s-backyard-with-a-can-of-beer-or-a-glass-of-wine’ and I thought this album crossed that line a couple times. Still, super talented.

Honestly really good one. A bit typical but such fun music

This fucking hit different. The guitar was everywhere all at once and just kept hitting. One of my favourite albums I have never heard of.

I mean it was fiiiiine but eh

Listened to it twice.

Now we're talking! A couple of favorites here!

Santana's "Abraxas" is a foundational rock classic that seamlessly blends Latin rhythms with electrifying guitar solos. Each track is a vibrant fusion of styles, creating an album that's timeless and utterly captivating.

3 - I was debating between a 3.5 and a 3, but I decided on a three because I know the album is good, but it's not entirely my thing. I don't see myself going back to listen to any of the deeper cuts, even if they're alright. It was nice and short.

I enjoyed the latino rythms in most of these songs. The songs that got a little too "rock n roll" weren't as good. Of course the hits off this album are special songs!

Interesring choice to listen, with múltiples and great mix of music from Latinoamérica

Cheerful, easy on the ear

Good

Deliciously good!!!

Very involving. I will listen to this again.

I've never really listened to Santana before and this is much more like Jazz than I anticipated. Weird, jazzy, psychy, rock and roll.

Superb!

ill never put this on by choice, but i give it a 3 because i have a soft spot for oy ya commo va

There’s no mistaking Santana!

Surprising amounts of genre influences

2 classics that the majority would love and remember but not keen on the rest.

Loved it!!! Great for the day shores and mood.

In a word: sultry. I've always been a fan of Santana, and this album rocks. Smooth guitar/lyrics/rhythm. I guess it's also jam band-y, which I didn't really understand about Santana until now. An easy album to put on in the background and simply enjoy. Memorable songs: Black Magic Woman, Oye Como Va, Samba Pa Ti

I have always been impressed by Carlos Santana’s guitar skills and the album was a lovely reminder of how much I sleep on this good music.

Enjoyed this sound, Gypsy Queen is great.

Such a unique guitar tone. Great jams that don't overstay. Excellent

Really good. Santana always has great vibes. "Black Magic Woman" has always been a fun listen. Really smooth sound.

I think this is the second time I’ve listened to this album. A brilliant psychedelic/jazzy guitar album with Latin influences. Love the percussion and Santana’s guitar playing is fantastic. As good as any psychedelic album from this era.

What a guitarist! “Black Magic Woman” and “Oye Como Va” are huge hits - that I’ve heard before - but this album is more than those two songs. Great blend of Santana’s solos with the rest of the band proving their abilities as well. Cool Latin vibe underlying with classic 70s rock sounds overtop. Liked how the songs wove together to provide a tide of music, slowing and quieting just to swell again; made for a pleasant album-long listening session.

I haven't listened to a full Santana album since he released Supernatural in 1999. That album is quite different than this album and I am happy to say it. Abraxas is great. It has my favourite song Black Magic Woman in it. But after listening to this album, the song 'Hope You're Feeling Better' might dethrone BMW. Honestly, people talk about how Jim Hendrix is the king of guitar, but I think I like Carlos Santana over Hendrix. That's definitely a hot take for sure. But I love Santana's guitar tone. And his solos aren't wankery. His VOCs aren't necessarily better but I am on the fence to which I prefer. Anyways, enough comparisons. This album has songs that sound like the Black Keys... But better. I wonder if the Black Keys took some inspiration from Santana. I mean, how could you not? Even the Spanish songs were enjoyable, despite me not knowing what was being said. Thoroughly enjoyed this record.

Good fun. Very much of its time. Prefer the tunes to the extended instrumental work outs. Haven’t listened to it for years. Good to go back to.

meh. it’s not bad, but i don’t quite get the hype. i’d have to be on drugs to listen to this again and even for that i’d rather put on something else.

I liked my favorites. Not crazy about the rest.

Really great album

Supreme!

iconic Album but marking it down cause Santana is a dick head

Jazzy fun energetic record. Great playing from everyone. Solid recommendation. Repeats: black magic woman, mother's daughter

Super hot percussion and keyboards carry the day here. In my opinion, Carlos Santana remains one of the most overrated guitar players in pop music history.

Lots of awesome songs that bring back memories.

Love, love, love this album. Banger through and through.

On first listen I was surprised how much I like the album as a collective whole. Songs like Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va as stand alone songs are boring as hell to me. As part of collection it feels different. Mother’s Daughter was an immeadiate highlight to me on first listen and I really like Samba Pa Ti. That said - it’s still boring but you can’t deny his talent. The thing that really is annoying is he sounds like my brother in law singing.

Legend on the guitar

There were 3 songs I already knew. One other one I really liked. Good energy and a nice groove overall.

Fucking awesome. Silky with a bite

OYE COMO VA MI RITMO BUENO PA GOZAR MULATA *the most delicious fkin solos ever* HUH!!

Once this album got stuck on my record player and I was high and it took me an embarrassing amount of time to notice

This wasn’t the Incident at Neshabur, but I Hope You’re Feeling Better after listening to this. Like Singing Winds, Crying Beasts, this album was great

This is a superb album.

I feel like this is peak Latin Rock.

Classic. Smooth and elegant guitar, psychedelic melodies and latin american rhythms

One of my all-time favorites from almost half a century ago!

Just good, latin-influenced rock. Definitely heard some recycled riffs throughout this album from Carlos Santana, but still great rhythms and good times.

After a while it all sounded the same.

Pretty decent album of mostly instrumentals. But to be expected by a great guitarist, again not something that I'd just throw on, but I wouldn't be upset to Listen to it again.

Quite enjoyable! Felt like I should be beachside with a cocktail somewhere hot.

Mother's Daughter slaps

One of Santana’s best

First rate guitar. Love the accompaniments throughout too.

This album is definitely good. Santana's guitar level is on nearly god level (especially for 1969). Favorite song(s): "Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen", "Oye Cómo Va". Solid 4/5

This album covers a wide range of genres while always keeping a consistent focus on Santana’s style. From funk to jazz to rock and psychedelia, Carlos manages to perfectly execute each song. I have no complaints with any of it. 5/5

Not really my type

If it weren’t for Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, this anti-American would be smuggling drugs and people across the border.

Good but you have to be in the mood

Went by pretty fast, but maybe that means it didn't grab my attention?

I'm shocked to learn that neither Black Magic Woman nor Oye Como Va are Santana originals, instead coming from Fleetwood Mac and Tito Puente respectively. Santana's first #1 US record release, and on a larger scale, one of the earliest modern musicians to bring Latin music into a popular space. Even if the songs are not all originals, this album drips with charisma and is presented excellently

I came into this from the Wikipedia article expecting to give it 3 or 4 stars, and left very surprised. It's pretty darn great. I'm familiar with a couple of the tracks (Oye Como Va, Samba Pa Ti) as jazz charts, but this overall modern Latin-rock genre is quite unfamiliar to me. And Santana Latin-rocks the house down. Every song is great - even the mysterious, atmospheric Singing Winds, Crying Beasts - and the album was over as soon as it had begun. Excellent guitar work and a fitting, precise-yet-jammy vocal performance.

Classic dad rock

While listening to the album I found myself thinking about the way we listen to them and consume art in general, The conclusion regarding this is that, particularly, the way I consume art revolves around like, dislike and experience. Based on this analysis method, Based on this logic, I decided to give it a small rating of 2, the work is pleasant especially at the beginning, several experiments and syncretisms with Mexican and Latin music in general, but, leaving aside exoticism for the simple fact that it is peculiar, personally, this album didn’t awaken anything in me, neither good nor bad, much less a great experience, it is just passable, pleasant. Only to conclude is it necessary to evidence that in its historical and regional context, because it is Latin and not hegemonic, when compared to the big names in British and American psychedelic and hard rock, the band made an excellent work taking of already established rock and Abraxing it, creating an impressive syncretism.

Mein lieblings Album von Santana. All Killers No Fillers.

Gänsehaut und Flashbacks! Ich bin nicht auf dem Laufenden: gibt es solche Musik heute noch?

Perfectly pleasant Latin groove rock, not my thing, but very nice.

Santana bore the pants off me. Oo! Look how many notes I can play! I struggle with any sort of "fusion" whether it be Jazz fusion (dreadful) or this Latin fusion.

i’ve known about Santana for a while, being on the outskirts of the jam band scene, but this is the first time i’ve sat down and actually listened to them. very cool

bien la verda disfrute, santana no es mi persona favorita pero no puedo negar que su musica esta completísima.

I thought I was familiar with this album already but I think I had the ‘best if’ with the white dove on the cover that had about half the tracks from Abraxas. Was nice to hear this again. I quite like Santana. His guitar solos just seem like noodling rather than having a melody or structure though.

Glad I listened, being mostly unfamiliar with the legend.

Like a hairy chested man giving you a loving embrace.

Like swimming with Manatees

Great, but I can imagine there's not enough singing for a lot of people. I don't mind. Favorite song: Oye Como Va.

Santana y su guitarra. Correcto. Sin más.

A psycho-rock, jazz, funk fusion. And it somehow works, great guitar riffs and solos, but that is somewhat i expected going into a santana album. But to my surprise it got stale for me after a few songs, always the same loose structure and nothing really new. Don't get me wrong they are great songs on their own but all together, it was a bit too much for me. Stand out song is Hope you're feeling better, it has lyrics and the organ is a much needed change after 30min of Santanas guitar.

In meiner Zeit gab es mehrere Monate einen Santana-Hype. Abraxas gehört zu den 3 Alben die richtig gut waren.

I was surprised I knew a few of the songs. This album was really focused on the guitar and lots of improvisation from all of the instruments. I also really enjoyed the Latin themes

BL: I know of Santana for the much later works ala supernatural. Never listened to his stuff from before, so I’ll see how it turns out AL: very fun album. While it wasn’t necessarily 100% of my thing, I really enjoyed listening to it. The fusion of Latin beats with psychedelic organ is a raw juxtaposition which while doesn’t always blend, usually helps it stick out and makes it a rewarding listen anyways. Some of these tracks will sneak their way into my playlist. FT: “Black Magic Woman”, “Mother’s Daughter”, “Hope You’re Feeling Better”, “El Nicoya” 4/5

Het regent, de oliebollen zijn op, je moet een of andere bankrekening aan de praat krijgen bij een bank waar je eigenlijk een grafhekel aan hebt. En dan zet je Santana op en dan is ineens je dag toch weer goed. De kracht van muziek. En dan ook nog eens een keer dit zwikkie klassiekers. Als er iemand toch de sfeer van een tequila bij zonsondergang aan een tropisch strand wist te vatten (zo stel ik me het tenminste maar voor) is het Santana wel.

Hier was ik even aan toe. Een kwaliteitsplaat in de lijst. Het toont de luisteraar alle mogelijkheden van de instrumenten, zowel het individuele spel als het samenspel. Het maakt deze band niet uit of het latin, jazzy of stevige rock is. Ze weten er wel raad mee. De zang is ongeforceerd. De zang komt alleen terug waar het versterkt. Mooi. Laat de instrumenten maar spreken. Ik ga hem nu lekker voor de derde keer opzetten.

Een echt classic album, met een wazige hoes trouwens. Santana is ook een van de classic gitaargoden, uit de tijd dat het best wel belangrijk was als je uitgeroepen werd tot beste gitaarheld van het jaar. Het heeft allerlei ingredienten waardoor ik dit geweldig zou moeten vinden. En toch raakt het me niet. Het is een soort buena vista social club on steroids, maar het is me teveel instrumentaal denk ik. Er is teveel nadruk op percussie ipv drums. Absoluut niet slecht, begrijp me niet verkeerd, maar het doet me weinig. En dat moet muziek toch met je doen, een bepaalde emotie oproepen. Ik hou het op een degelijke 3.

A couple of stand outs here. A wizard with the guitar.

Beste jazz album tot nu toe en tegelijkertijd slechtste rock album tot nu toe...

This was pretty good. Oye Como Va got me moving in my seat.

latin influenced psychedelic blues rock. infectious rhythms. carlos santana was one of the noteworthy figures of the era. easy to see why this one is on the list. highlights: “black magic woman”, “oye cómo va”, “samba pa ti”.

When he hits, he really hits. I honestly find his guitar playing... kinda okay. When he doesn't hit, it's really not great.

I like the hits, don’t really care for anything else. Maybe that’s because I’ve heard the hits a few thousand times or because they’re good and the rest just stinks, I dunno.

Can’t get smooth out of my head

Black magic woman e nice, resten gikk meg hus forbi

Love it

One extra star for that album art

Santana shreds on this, loved it

good psychedelic, latin rock stuff, groovy and jazzy, I love all the percussion stuff as usual in latin music, I like the spanish tracks more than the english ones

Some nice funky guitars. I got some The Doors vibes on a few of the songs. Overall pretty enjoyable.

Oye Como Va gives it an extra star

Man I loved this album in my younger days. It’s still enjoyable. A shame that Carlos just kinda cocked it later on in his career. His guitar tone and style, especially after 2006, just sounds… cheesy? But I don’t actually think my enjoyment of this album is hindered by that. I’ll probably come back to this every few years. It’s a classic

Listened Before? Yes I haven't listened to many Santana albums, but this is one that I spent a good bit of time with during late high school. This is a classic with two of his biggest singles -- Oye Como Va and Black Magic Woman -- along with a number of other jams. This album is pretty great straight through. Not perfect by any means, but there is a lot of soul here, and plenty of that unmistakable Santana guitar. Standouts for me are Oye Como Va, Mother's Daughter, Samba Pa Ti, and (personal favorite) Hope You're Feeling Better. Great production, with some sequencing hiccups (particularly between BMW/GQ and Oye Como Va). Just a good clean latin-infused classic rock album. 4 / 5. Added to Library? Yes Songs Added to Playlists: - Mother's Daughter (Sunny-vibes) - Hope You're Feeling Better (Des Approved)

Santana is great, don't think I have ever listened to this album front to back but know a bunch of the songs. Great listen overall

Perfect way to start a morning. Seamlessly transitions from the chillest beats to some some hot guitar solos. I love how Santana has a such a distinct sound, but without all of his songs sounding the exact same. One of my favorite stories my mom tells is about the time she blacked out at a Santana concert at Merriweather.

Santana just melting my face with his guitar while I am trying to do some data entry. I like how some of the songs were English and some were Spanish.

Great album instrumentation yet again. These songs fuckin rocked. I especially loved Incident at Neshabur. So many changes in that song and at one point thought it was the Grateful Dead. Never have taken a deep dive into Santana but it might be time. Hoping they have Soul Sacrifice coming up love that song

This one surprised me. I really liked this, definitely would enjoy listening to it again.

My first introduction to Carlos Santana was a collaborative album her did with Alice Coltrane called Illuminations. His guitar fit perfectly with the rest of the instrumentation. His playing is gorgeous and filled with jazzy grooves. While Abraxas isn't necessarily a jazz album, it caries these same qualities in spades.

72/100 but not a 4

This was a vibe,not amazing but oye como va and black magic woman are absolute bangers.Santana creates a Latin,groovy atmosphere that I quite enjoyed

Amazing listen. Must wear headphones!!! A classic album with great musicians and a fascinating aesthetic.

Sultry. Transporting. He makes that guitar sing. An absolute gem.

I dig.

Sanatana so good! Black Magic Woman, Oye Como Va and Samba Pa Ti are the songs I'm most familiar with from this album, but the whole thing is a great experience. Great vibes throughout, I remember my dad playing this record excessively loud in the basement and me being bored to tears. not anymore!

1 Santana Album You Need to Hear Before You Die

It felt like I walked into the wrong party. It was a great party. But I don't know if I would have been invited or if I was stoned enough to stay.

In a nutshell: a sweet Latin rock, Chicano rock and blues concoction Went in only knowing Oye Como Va and Black Magic Woman, left appreciating Carlos and his band. WOW! There's a noticeable flow to it. Each band member's skills are on show. Carlos seems to work WITH the band rather than above the band. Truth be told, I'd listen to 70's Santana over Eric Crapton anyday. Overall: 7/10

Great album. Love everything about it. What an incredible sound.

This was great. The music is so good. I'm not the most into jam type of stuff, and despite that I still had a great time. I look forward to a conversation with some sort of grey-haired man about how Abraxas is good. I'm not sure when it'll happen, but I know it will, and I am now prepared.

Sat on a cold grey day in the UK, this washes over me like taking a bath in molasses with a rum cocktail in hand.

Masterful work by Carlos Santana. The true pinnacle of Classic Latin Rock for all time!

I get it...organs. in samba PA ti... the guitar sings the lyrics where there are none.

This will never be my favourite Santana album - that's been Caravanserai for over 40 years - but it is very good. It's more poppy than Santana 3 or Caravanserai, I don't mind pop but I don't think it really suits Santana.

good rock

I actually liked this, it even put me to sleep!!! 7/10

The intro song started out exciting but kinda just turned into noise that didn’t feel well written. I was waiting for it to go somewhere and suddenly it went into “Black Magic Women” which was fantastic. Much of the Latin Rock I’m hearing isn’t really my cup of tea. On one end it’s trying to be relaxing but also thrilling so I’m not sure how I feel about it. Besides “Black Magic Woman”, the rest of the album was just okay. 6/10

This dude just riffs for the entire album and it's so amazing to listen to. I don't even have that much to say because there's not some introspective reason behind it I just end up nodding my head to each song. Amazing work and his best hits are on this album as well. 9/10

Banger followed by absolute jam followed by banger followed by absolute jam. What a solid sound this album has. Everything aspect of this album is clean. I did actually prefer the bits with no singing which was most of the album as instrumentals were just so good. Fantastic listen. 9/10

Nice.

Elevator music

Would I listen to this album again? Yes. First time hearing the full album? Yes. Were there any songs I skipped? No. Comments? A very fun album that makes you feel like moving. Favourite Songs? Oye Como Va

Oye como va is a banger for sure. I liked these songs a lot actually, they have a good vibe that is pretty jazzy. I appreciate all the instrumentals. This is a great background album, but if you really want to pay attention to the songs they don't disappoint. I also really liked the song "mother's daughter". Solid rock song.

Way too cool of a name for this album. This was an enjoyable listen but it didn't have that much special about it. Good instrumentals but not much vocals. I don't have anything overly positive or negative to say about this.

Ну хз. Музыка норм, на одном из треков качало. В остальном мимо меня. Но девушка на обложке красивая.

Excellent album. Highlighting Carlos Santana as an extraordinary guitar player.

If there's one thing that continues to get reinforced by this list, it's that I have a soft spot for any Latin music. Didn't really know what to expect coming into this album and seeing Black Magic Woman, but the rest of the album was a pretty big departure from it, at least relatively. There's some stuff here I was a really big fan of, though I did kind of lose attention in it about halfway through. It's great, lyrical guitar playing with a few supporting facets, if you're into that then you should be into this. Highlight: Oye Como Va Lowlight: Mother's Daughter Surprise Hit: Se a Cabo

Passabler Psychedelic Rock.

Santana is a magician with the guitar. He can make full instrumental songs feel like they have lyrics and quite frankly that’s good enough. He does his best when he gets someone else to do the singing. All in all this is just a guitar driven album that is fun and groovy. 7.7/10

Classic lyric rock. Good drive.

I am not a fan of latin-infused music, and I also don't really like guitar solos as a primary feature of music. Therefore, this album and Santana have never been for me. However, there is a lot of great groove in the album, and the musicality and composition is so much better than something from a Steve Vai or Joe Satriani or any number of other flashy guitar solo focused artists.