Reviews (page 12 of 15)
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.
Good listening music, black magic woman is a standout but most of it is just kind of groovy jammin
It is what it is
This album has consensual sexual intercourse.
A blast from the past. I’d forgotten how amazing this album is. Thank you
ok
Timeless piece of music, great guitar and percussion work
Saw Santana in 02. Best concert I've ever been to.
Lyrics: Multilingual Poetry: The album's lyrics seamlessly blend English with Spanish, adding a unique cultural and linguistic richness to the songs. The bilingual approach is particularly evident in tracks like "Oye Como Va" and "Samba Pa Ti" [[2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraxas_(album)]. Spiritual and Mystical Themes: "Abraxas" explores spiritual themes, drawing inspiration from various mystical traditions. This is evident in songs like "Black Magic Woman," creating an enigmatic atmosphere that captivates listeners. Music: Innovative Fusion: Santana masterfully blends rock, blues, jazz, and Latin rhythms, creating a genre-defying sound. The guitar work of Carlos Santana is a standout, characterized by his signature tone and improvisational prowess. Diverse Instrumentation: The album features a diverse array of instruments, including congas, timbales, and organ, contributing to a rich sonic tapestry that distinguishes each track. Production: Timeless Sound: The production of "Abraxas" remains remarkably timeless. The seamless integration of various elements showcases the expertise of the production team, allowing the album to transcend its era. Studio Experimentation: The album reflects a willingness to experiment in the studio, evident in the psychedelic elements of "Singing Winds, Crying Beasts," showcasing the band's artistic exploration [4]. Themes: Cultural Fusion: "Abraxas" celebrates cultural diversity, intertwining Latin American and Western influences. This theme contributes to the album's universal appeal and enduring relevance. Mysticism and Spirituality: The mystical and spiritual undertones in the album's themes create a profound listening experience, inviting contemplation and reflection. Influence: Global Impact: "Abraxas" has had a significant impact globally, influencing subsequent generations of musicians. Its fusion of genres paved the way for the development of world music, leaving an enduring legacy [5]. Cross-Genre Influence: Santana's innovative approach to blending genres has inspired artists across various musical landscapes, from rock to Latin and beyond. Pros: Innovative Fusion: The groundbreaking fusion of genres sets "Abraxas" apart, contributing to its lasting appeal. Guitar Mastery: Carlos Santana's exceptional guitar work remains a highlight, showcasing technical skill and emotional depth. Cons: Uneven Pacing: Some may find the pacing uneven, with slower, introspective tracks contrasting sharply with more energetic pieces. Limited Vocal Variety: The album primarily relies on instrumental prowess, which may be a drawback for listeners seeking more vocal diversity. In conclusion, "Abraxas" stands as a testament to Santana's musical genius, offering a transformative journey through its diverse soundscape. Its influence on subsequent generations cements its status as a classic, despite minor pacing and vocal considerations.
He’s a brilliant guitarist, but this isn’t my thing. Long guitar solos don’t do it for me
2/5
It's very well produced, the sound is rich and deep. It also clearly comes from the era of "this was meant to be listened to in one sitting". Some of the riffs and breaks are a little self indulgent and perhaps didn't age as well as they could have, but I recognize that sort of thing is pretty subjective. It's also very iconic, I could recognize bits and pieces that have been woven into the cultural zeitgeist well enough to have the appropriate amount of "oh, that's where that's from" moments.
Not my favourite kind of music, but now i have given it a try.
Kinda boring but not bad
3/5 interesting music, not necessarily what I would listen to on the daily, but well done
Really cool album. Heard before, but now I'll remember that Oye Como Va was on here. Had that one playing in my head a few times. I really like the laidbackness here. + Singing Winds, Crying Beasts + Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen + Oye Como Va + Incident at Neshabur
i have a soft spot for this stupid record santana fucking suck lolololol
I hate Santana.
11/16/23. Mad at myself for not listening to more Santana. I was expecting a guitar heavy album, but instead was surprised with very solid, fun songs and instruments! This will definitely be added to the rotation and maybe influence my own playing.
I liked the album more when they started singing
Good fuck music
Love this album. Great stuff.
Amazing
I had the pleasure of seeing Santana (on a double bill with Earth, Wind & Fire) this past summer and they sounded amazing. This is album is timeless and atill holds up beautifully. Of course, everyone knows about Carlos' incredible guitar playing but the whole band are phenomenal.
Very fun to listen to
A pretty nice album. Latin instruments, latin rock, long guitar solos - easy 4 stars.
Wasn't as special as I thought it would be
Listened to the two big songs on the album quite a bit but I have never heard the album in its entirety till now. Pretty decent.
l know a handful of Santana songs, but this was my first time listening to one of their albums (even though someone gifted me a copy of this on vinyl, whoops). This was pretty much everything I could want in an album: the instrumentation was great, the vocals were good, and the album had an incredibly unique and cohesive sound. This album was part jazz, part funk, and part mystical desert seance. And yet, everything came together really well to make a beautiful album. I loved the percussion, the keyboard parts, the piano melodies, and the guitar playing. Each song seemed to have a few simple elements that really stuck out to me that helped elevate them from good to great. This album was fantastic from start to finish, and it's an album that I'll be quick to revisit.
3/5. A Latin-infused blues album, that has some okay lyrics but Santana's guitarwork is what drives each song. There are instrumentals on this album but they don't stand out as excellent, I feel like this one has a chiller vibe but doesn't match the aggressive energy Santana is known for. Good on some days, but not amazing.
Everybody knows Santa's biggest hits, but I never listened to this full album. It's absolutely amazing. One must wonder why I haven't before!
A fantastic album in the realm of musicality. The bongos, synth and electric guitar make this not only something you could relax on a beach to but something to cure workday blues. This music can transport you to a peaceful realm, get you groovin as well as just motivate you through a day.
Good guitarist.
tremendous vibes today, absolutely love this album. Love the guitar riffs and latin rock, vocals are great too. 4.5-5.
Lots of classic songs
Saving this for my next psychedelic adventure. Rich full sounds. Pleasant.
It's fine, cover of Oye como va is great, otherwise a bit ho-hum.
My first introsuction to Latin Rock. Should listen to more, this was dope.
Fun, easy listening, pretty in some parts energetic in others. Awesome album and it made me go listen to Soul Sacrifice live at woodstock again, so bonus points for that.
Fabulous Easy to listen to. Is she a black, magic woman, or a black-magic woman?
Smooth. Just extremly good vibes would listen to again!
Hahaha, just listened to this the other day. Some of Santana's best tracks. Classic 60's psychedelic jams. Great guitar work.
Feels like I’m listening to the Narcos soundtrack, by no means a bad thing
Was never a fan of Santana growing up but listening to this now was very enjoyable, funny how our taste changes over the years. Really enjoyed the rhythm/percussion parts
2.5-3. Enjoyable album, Black Magic Woman the clear highlight. Lacking other standout moments but enjoyable music nonetheless
2.5/5 - listened through it a few times in the background and nothing stood out however pleasant enough listening with some lovely little bits
Great album, the first few tracks just melt into each other, samba pa ti was a nice highlight, loved the jazz influences on this album too.
3.33 per track.
Lots of tasty licks. This album is on fire.
I really liked this record. It's got a really interesting mix of styles but it's all tied together. I've always had a fondness for Santana but never really sat down to listen to an album until today. If this was a ten point scale I'd probably give it a nine but I'm saving my fives for stuff that really really deserves it.
Holy Moly.
Known before: No Standouts: 03. Oye Como Va
Known before: Yes Standouts: 04. Incident at Neshabur 08. Hope You're Feeling Better
K.B.: no Standouts: no Rating: 6,5
Not a fan of the latin influences
Love this album. Mom gave me her original copy. Never fails to capture the attention of anyone listening, young.. old... its timeless.
Classic stuff.
Can't go wrong with Santana.
exceptional plucking
Lovely mix of Latin beats, jazzy tone, and rock guitar. Energetic without being overdriven
Beautiful
Lopsided. Starts off with some absolute rhythmic magic and then fades into some haphazardly spliced songs. The guitar work is mesmerizing and the percussion and organ work is a great compliment. Really creative stuff, just needed some better artistic direction.
Amazing. Pumped me up and made me feel happy, balanced and just overall stoked. Loved a ton of the songs and the whole album just felt like one big song
Amazing guitar. Some definite classics
This shit kinda slaps Geweldige opbouw naar "black magic woman" Interessante Latin beats in verwerkt? Ja het is helemaal Latin Yes please, oye come va is funky 4 sterren!
Boring
Master class
Cool rock album. Enhances some beach vibes in my view. 3.4
Rating: ** 3+** Notes: Was a really cool album, prbl would have never listened to it or even find it. Never heard music like this so far, however i really liked some parts of the album and would even listen to it again. Why just 3 stars? Because of gut feeling, but could also be 4 tbh. Songs which stood out in no particular order (credits to Uncle Gue for the idea): "" ------------------------------------------------------------- Rating Scale: 1- very bad 2- bad 3- neutral 4-good 5-very good additonaly -/+ sign if necessary
Totally forgot about that band. ~15 yrs ago I first got to hear Black Magic Woman. I really like the jazzy/rocky/latino/improvisational vibes of the Album. Personal Top3 in no order: Black Magic Woman Oye Como Va Mother‘s Daugther
Cooles Album. Black Magic Woman und Oye Como Va gefallen mir am besten! 6.2/10
This is good noodlin'! And better than 90% of the 60s SF noodle bands (which is a pretty low bar, but still).
I’d heard some of the hits from the album, and did not expect some of the other tracks to be so jazzy. The piano-forward tracks were particularly intriguing. I like the blend of styles throughout the album.
Grew up on this album. Amazing guitar work
nee wait i kinda like it. black magic woman is best vibes en de gitaar is nice. also op t laatst geeft het wii party bordspel eiland.
Kinda boring
OK album... black magic woman is kinda fun for the bass and lyrics but I could do without the guitar.
Latino pero rock Mucha percusión buenísima
This is my first full length Santana album (not counting Supernatural that was playing on repeat in the background when I was a kid) and it already has 3 of the biggest hits that I knew beforehand. A lot has been said about these three so I’m just gonna state the obvious that Black Magic Woman is probably among the top songs ever. I just love how the guitar sound grows in the beginning among the synths and the rhythm section and then just completely breaks free. The rest of the album compliments the top 3, especially the jazzy parts. They are well within the balance of jazzy/interesting and easy listening. Also, as a drummer, I’m a sucker for all these Latino jazzy rhythms which can be hear throughout the entire thing. A perfect soundtrack to a sunny lazy Sunday evening.
Black Magic Woman is a fantastic track, and there's some other pretty solid songs here as well. Just a bit too instrumental for my taste, and the other vocal tracks just don't scratch the itch Black Magic Woman does.
Gitaarmuziek zoals ik het fijn vind, muzikaal. Eerste en laatste nummer overslaan. Mother’s Daughter +++
Classic rock songs!
70s sounds
Feels good, nice variety, LOVE the guitar
beautiful
Decent tunes relaxed good to listen to in the garden with a beer.
Fantastical and tasteful
Some gnarly guitar and some gnarly bongos.
Sublime
Early Santana was great
Dadrock Weltmusik Gutes Gitarrenspiel, mittelmäßiges Songwriting
Nice instruments Different African vibes
Great
Groovy Favorite Tracks: Oye Como Va, Black Magic Woman 4.5/5
Great album!
My uncle gave me and my brother this album. I've owned this my entire adult life. An all time classic. The most 5 star album I've come across on 1001 albums so far
Great guitar sound from a legend. Something I should explore more. Some hip hop samples found on this record.
Really good guitar and licks, soke groovy music but nothing standing out too much. (71%)
Heard before: No (heard like 4 songs tbf) Favourites: Black magic woman/ gypsy queen, Oye Como va, Se a cabo I have heard a good few songs from this album but never listened all the way thru. Great stuff yet again, I keep getting good albums that are right up my street.
It's simply excellent. More nostalgia. My parents had pretty good taste.
Some great Santana sounds
Honestly loved everything about this. I was unsure at first, there are some low spots within a couple songs, but it really is a bop.
An absolute classic. Had to follow up with some Moonflower
Album 4/1001 Best song: se a Cabo
Fire
Great talent, moderate song-writing ability. Wouldn't turn it off but wouldn't seek it out.
Abraxas is a stellar showcase of Carlos Santana’s guitar-playing and songwriting talents Will definitely be listening to this again, albeit maybe more during the summer months Favourite tracks: Black Magic Woman, Oye Como Va, Incident at Neshabur, Mother’s Daughter, Samba Pa Ti
3,5
Niet mijn muziek, wel een kneiter van een klassieker
Santana heeft mij nooit kunnen boeien en vandaag dus ook niet.
Dit had wel een lekkere seventies vibe
Heel goed te hebben en best veel bekende nummers.
Santana kan ik best waarderen. Het is ten minste een beetje energiek.
Not bad, just not what I would look forward to listening
Santana- I enjoyed this Such a good fusion of blues rock with Latin jazz.. Love how the first 3 songs seque into eachother. Really great album, awesome band definitely super influential. He has some cool big guitar moments and some great tones.
This is pretty sick. Never been a huge Santana guy but he’s got some really cool records. Great band and really cool percussion.
It’s crazy that you can know it’s Santana right off the bat.
The best songs on this album are the first and last track. "El Nicoya" is an exciting percussion feature, and "Singing Winds, Crying Beasts" is a beautifully transcendent piece of musical orchestration. Between the sweeping chimes & effects, and the weeping guitar, it's absolutely beautiful. Too bad the rest of the album is as dull as classic rock gets. "Samba Pa Ti" is the only song that actually stands up of the tracks in between the beginning and end of the album. It's not groundbreaking, but its a nice guitar feature. The three covers, "Black Magic Woman", "Gypsy Queen", and "Oye Como Va" are so overplayed at this point that it's impossible for me to get into them in the album context. They're fine, but passable, I was never into these songs to begin with. Both of Gregg Rolie's songs are insufferable with some of the worst lyrics, overly aggressive singing, and basic jam-band riffs I've ever heard. These songs were very irritating and I'd be very pleased if I never had to hear such subpar songwriting again. That only leaves "Se a Cabo" and "Incident at Neshabur", which were boring. I didn't think this album was particularly great, and I probably won't revisit it.
One of the kings of rock guitar. Some great tracks. Maybe a little too long.
Santana! The best album so far. The only songs I didn’t really like were the ones w vocals. 🤷♀️
"Singing Winds, Crying Beasts" is a wonderful opener, with a nice Prog feel to it. "Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen" is, of course, a classic. Great guitar and percussion. "Oye Cómo Va" is a catchy sing-a-long that also deserves to be a classic. "Incident at Neshabur" is the highlight of the album. Interesting time signature changes and a beautiful, slower second half. The second side of the album is an unfortunate downgrade from the first. "Se a Cabó" is fine enough, though feels like a lesser "Oye Cómo Va." "Mother's Daughter" isn't the greatest, with the lyrics and vocals being the worst part. "Samba Pa Ti" was excellent. Beautiful, and the best part of side 2. "Hope You're Feeling Better" is a definite improvement over "Mother's Daughter" (both sharing Gregg Rolie as the writer), but I'm not sure if the raspy, rocker voice is right for Rolie. "El Nicoya" is a disappointing closer, almost feeling like an afterthought. The percussion in the left speaker was frankly annoying. Overall, a great listen.
Black Magic Woman on this album and it’s great. Would be a vinyl to look out for.
Pichudo y corto
Can't understand those who didn't have fun with this. Maybe I would've enjoyed even more with some funny substances but that's OK. (I don't like giving numeric ratings, I just give 3 to anyone)
c'était bien rock
Great percussion/rhythms, notable Afro-Cuban beats. Feels surprisingly fresh for 1970, although some nice 60's psychedelic flair. Couple of well known classics.
Just a great album to put on and relax.
Surprisingly really really enjoyed this album. Unfortunately got most of my Santana when he collaborated with late 90s artists and it sounded pretty contrived and lame. But early original Santana is something else completely. Raw guitar mixed with Latin sounds. Super cool.
My advice for this album is to enjoy the inspired atmosphere and memorable instrumentation, rather than zooming in on the actual songwriting. I did the former and latter so I thought it was just alright.
Great Latin jazz. First song is kind of nothing and boring but the rest is good. Ez 4.
MAMA
Good guitar and drums 3.5
Latin ist nicht so meins.
9/10
Never listened before, I like it
Тупа кайф 8/10
Whoa... 70s psych rock with Latin flair. Groovy, funky, pretty chill but never boring. Made for a practically spiritual car journey just as the sun was beginning to go down on a Saturday evening. Just a brilliant album that I'm absolutely going to hunt down on vinyl (Once I fix my record player...) Favourite: Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen
I'm not ordinarily into prog and prog-adjacent stuff, but I'm so impressed with Santana. Bringing authentic Latin influences into the music really brightens it up and makes this a great listen.
Beautiful album. Have always loved Santana's music. 4/5
The Oye Como Va cover is a classic, and most of the rest is pretty solid. Quite a mix of genres
That amazing latin touch on some great blues/rock.
Funky and fun. Oye Como Va and Samba Pa Ti are masterpieces.
I’m not saying it’s bad, it just did not click for me.
Cool cafe sort of music but doesn’t grab me. Don’t get the hype on Carlos’ playing.
fun!
Total classic. Santanas best work
Class
Portada espectacular.Album melódico, casi sin letra aparte de segmentos de dos canciones. Oye cómo va favourite. Buenos ritmos y me gusta este tipo de canciones de solo melodía y Buenos ritmos. 7/10 lo escucharía otra vez
Smoothia Santanan tilutusta. Black Magic Women tällä levyllä. Muuten ehkä vähän tasapaksua, mutta silti ihan kunneltavaa
Missing some lyrics
The musical melting pot of the late 60s was still simmering strongly enough to eventually boil over into the start of what was intended to be a promising decade and, whilst not the soundtrack of that period of time, Santana was one of the perfect microcosm for a more accepting music culture. Mixing together blues with psychedelia and samba, Abraxas is indeed a mythical beast wielding some of the most potent configurations possible in the moment. Yeah, Carlos himself may have went on some fantastical spiritual sounding journeys in the aftermath but, with this, it seemed as if he was already on his way. Favorites: Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen, Oye Como Va, Incident at Neshabur, Se a Cabo, Samba Pa Ti, Hope You're Feeling Better.
I had never sat down and really listened to Santana, but I was surprised I recognized so many songs I had heard from movies or commercials I guess. The riffs are quite nice. Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen and Mother's Daughter are a real treat. What a great album. Yes please.
Cool, I enjoyed
Makes me anxious and not in a good way, didn’t like the album.
se acabo
Excellent! I like the jazzy/groovy style. Also, it’s very diverse, different styles for each music it’s amazing. Didn’t know this Santana Band they are really good.
Latin rock, recognized a few songs
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.
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
This was a very pleasant surprise for me! I have never understood why Carlos Santana is a household name and this record finally got me to understand and appreciate how he made his legacy. What a great album. I only knew the hits beforehand (Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va) and I was totally blown away by the quality beyond those tracks. Such great fusion from a time when Latin-influenced music was nowhere near where it is now in the mainstream. Mashing that up with the classic rock sound and elements of Jazz and Psychedelia is superb, I’ll be listening to this for a while. Special shoutouts to the Jazz groove on Incident at Neshabur, the jammy-ness of Se A Cabo, the tempo shifts on Mother’s Daughter, and Hope You’re Feeling Better for feeling like a long lost Deep Purple track.
Really cool project, very clear how Santana was able to create Smooth now
Noiiicce
it’s that kind of 60s-70s thing that just seems like it was invented for the movies or something
Really enjoyable and iconic
Groovy, hypnotic, and exciting. But I can’t see myself listening to this often. Just not my main jam. I’d probably give it a solid 5 at least tho. Good background music for a taco 🌮 joint.
Why vocals?
This is an album documenting one man’s complete lack of any form of internal struggle.
Santana at the height of his powers. The man can wield an axe.
Guitar with a side of singing. Would listen to going 170 on the highway
Could not get into it at all unfortunately ultimately just not my style of music
A fantastic album from start to finish.
solid santana album
This was really good! It will be part of my rotation now.
Hes like a good guitarist or whatever, but it feels like he is just good at guitar in the technical sense and not in the way Jimi Hendrix was good at guitar. I dont feel anything when Santana plays, I can appreciate the talent, but thats where it ends for me. Also fuck him for being a transphobic piece of shit.
Classic Santana
Some classics and a few others thrown in for good measure!
Classic Sanata - Oye como va
Classico, molto figo.
A very sad but high three. The first three songs were phenomenal but the rest of the album was just good, disappointing compared to the beginning.
Solid Santana. A few solid classics. It's everything you think of when you hear "Santana" and makes me wanna road trip out west.
Absolute cracker of an album. Great iconic tracks, really entertaining well put together music, excellent cultural and musical blends.
Not a fan of Santana but I do appreciate his guitar playing. Apart from the 2 popular songs, Black Magic Woman & Oye Cómo Va, on this album, the rest just passed by me.
Mellow, rich and… well, I really don’t want to use the word ‘smooth’… god, I hate that song. It turned me off Santana for all these years. What a joke. It’s good. I liked it. Mellow, rich and polished/peaceful/continuous/not rough.
W Carlos
Surprisingly lacking in terms of the grooviness of Latin music. But the electric guitar driven sound is interesting on its own.
Excellent. Infectious and upbeat album!
Simply beautiful
Great album. Definietly one of those that will stay with me. I can't express how good "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va" are.
My first one it's not too bad I guess
Great album!
Typical (and that’s not a bad thing) Santana formula of….”Here’s your well crafted, imminently catchy, hit single or two….and now we’re gonna fuck around and do whatever the hell we want to do for the remainder of the album” (and that, too, is not a bad thing). But, it’s not MY thing, so I’d give it a 2…..on the other hand, this was a huge record for them, breaking the sophomore jinx, and probably deserves a 4. So let’s compromise with a 3.
Very cool combo of psych rock and latin flair
Pretty mad would be good on vinyl with a spliff
Amazing and varied sounds throughout. Soothing piano on Incident in neshabur, mostly instrumental tracks sembra pa ti and se a Cabo. Then the last two tracks completely different, one sounding very 80s rock and the other very latin influenced.
Wonderful start to finish
Growing up in the Seventies, even in an isolated small town, of course I heard "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Cómo Va" on the radio. However, until today I had not listened to this album, on which those songs appear. While I occsionally enjoy jazz, Woodstock-style psychedelica, or Latin music, I'm not an enormous fan of these genres -- and yet their fusion works here.
Would definitely listen to again. Really enjoyed.
Solid background ambience
I really enjoyed listening to this on the way to work this morning. Never been that into Santana but i thought the percussion and the loose structure was just good times. Great cover of Black Magic Woman
I have listened and loved 'Oye Como Va' before, heard the others for the first time. Loved it, will definitely listen more. Great show of guitar and keyboard solos. Loved the sound which is described as 'Latin rock/psychedelic jazz'. Highlights for me: Intro, Incident at Neshabur, Samba Pa Ti, Hope You're Feeling Better
Beaucoup de moments avec uniquement des instruments (+++) Vraiment très cool 1. Début un peu dramatique, en cohérence avec le nom, j'apprécie. Le morceau continue comme ça sans parole donc ++ 2. J'aime bien 3. Morceau le plus écouté, et c'est très clairement justifié, très entraînant 4. Sympa 5. Solo de percussion incroyable absolument auquel s'ajoutent progressivement des instruments et une voix 6. + de chant mais aussi + entraînant, on se laisse emporter par le chanteur 7. Morceau plus calme mais relaxant (playlist travail) 8. Ne pas se fier aux quelques premières secondes, très groovy, j'aime
4.5
it ok
Easy listen but not enough grip
Another musical dna. Sure carlos has perhaps become predictable but this mix of rock, jazz and Latin is irresistible. Hope you’re feeling better and mothers daughter kick. Samba Pa Ti is fantastic. Black magic woman pretty much copies greens solo from the original but the backing instrumentation is something special. Listened to this hundreds of times. 13 stars.
Let's just take a moment to take in that cover art. And then try standing still when the music starts. Smiling, dancing, soul warming music. The energy and playfulness and riotous fun of Latin music, still does it's magic as well now as 50 years ago. And the title and texts Endure some analysis apparently. A timeless masterpiece I guess. Again! Ola.
Abraxas was released the same month that I saw Woodstock, in which one of that film’s highlights for me was Santana doing Soul Sacrifice off their debut album. In the 70’s I saw them twice at the Hordern (73 & 76). But most memorably I saw them at the Sydney Showground on Remembrance Day 1977. That day the concert started in the afternoon with the Felix Pappalardi-involved Japanese band Creation, then the Kevin Borich Express, and then, around 6.00p.m., as the sun started to set, Santana (they were followed by LRB & then the headliners that day, Fleetwood Mac, touring on the back of Rumours, which had been released earlier in the year. This was their first Australian tour since they’d re-invented themselves.) Santana, as the sun was setting, was one of the great concert experiences I ever had. I remember Santana performing Black Magic Woman that day, but according to setlists now available on the internet, Fleetwood Mac did not (the song having been written by their original guitarist, the late, great Peter Green). Black Magic Woman is one of the highlights of Side 1 of Abraxas, on which there are no duds. It is an outstanding side of music. Their version of Tito Puente’s Oye Como Va is wonderful. Side 2 consists of 5 tracks all written by band members. The only one written by Carlos himself is Samba Pa Ti, the first half of which is slow & atmospheric. Very much like the Santana-penned track Europa(Eath’s Cry, Heaven’s Smile), from the Amigos album, which the band played that day just as the sun set. Almost 50 years later I can still picture that scene. I play the first 2 Santana albums regularly. There was nothing else like them at the time.
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.
The album is good old classic rock. It all feels a bit dated, sure; but I can appreciate the music and admire the musicianship. The songs on "Abraxas" are still good, and Carlos Santana is a great guitarist.
Must tää on kyllä aika kliffa platta! Kunnon lattarirokkii ja hyvii versioita klassikoista! Uuwee! 4/5
Nojaah, letkeetä joo, mutta ei tätä levyllistä ihan jaksa.
Nautinnollista jazz-vaikutteista rockia. Santanaa oon sillon tällön kuunnellut biisin, pari mutta toimii erinomaisesti myös albumilla. 4/5
Yeah it sounds nice and the instrumentals are enjoyable but there’s minimal lyricism and that’s just not what I enjoy listening to.
This was another "oh no!" moment when I saw Santana pop up in my list. I had mentally placed them into the same category as bands like the Grateful Dead - ponderous and boring hippy-shit. I was expecting an album of Latin-tinged coffee commercial pap, but it turned out I was wrong. From the opening I realised this was going to be something much better than I had expected. I could hear echoes of Pink Floyd (particularly Animals - which would come 7 years down the line) and a bit of Deep Purple. The guitar was great, but the whole album was well put together, never dragging and changing style throughout. The covers at the start were probably the highlights, but I also enjoyed the instrumentals, even the foreign language tracks were good. Not quite a 5-star experience, but pretty close.
“Look, look, something is very wrong! I don’t want Santana “Abraxas,” I’ve just been in a terrible auto accident!”
I'm not really into this genre and style of music, but it's quite a nice time.
A near perfect album, with classic after classic.
I had modest expectations going into this album. I've heard Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va hundreds of times - they are decent songs, but I'm beyond tired of hearing them. The rest of the album took me by surprise. It was actually really good, and I thoroughly enjoyed each song! Santana is an incredible guitarist, and I'm glad I got to listen to more of him. I probably won't listen to this very often, if at all, but I'm glad I did once.
More singing on the album than I would have thought. A fun listen that is perfect for the summertime. 4/5
Excellent chill guitar
Guy has great tone
Carlos Santana did provide some interesting guitar techniques throughout this album along with the Latin-tinged percussions. My only concern here is that nothing seemed to interesting or really stand out other than what's mentioned
Exciting, fun, musically complex, mostly instrumental latin rock album. I enjoyed it!
- incredibly smooth and slick - honestly was over pretty fast and I like a short album - not something I'd really go back to except to have in the background, but still good music
- great summer evening vibes - incredible guitar skill - surprisingly enjoyed the album despite the lack of vocals
I mean it was smooth, but it just kinda felt too similar the whole way through. Maybe if i was in the right mood. Just felt like a really long interlude, never quite getting to any songs
Gran disco, el vinilo es otra cosa. 8.5/10 Singing winds, Crying beasts 7.5/10 Gran intro, atmosférico. Black Magig Woman 9/10 Temazo. Oye como va 8.5/10 Temazo para bailar solo. Incident at Neshabur 6.5/10 Not feeling it, es una canción intermedia estrepitosa pero no termina de aterrizar Se acabó 7.5/10 Santana crudo, los bongos ayudan bastante. Ritmo rápido y tropical Mother's Daugther 8/10 Explosiva, energética. Se puede dividir entre explosión y letras que le dan un poco de espacio. samba pa' tí 8/10 Temazo. Hope you're feeling better 8/10 buen tema de rock, cargado con toda la onda setentera psicodélica El nicoya 7/10 Simple, ritmo pegadizo, buena despedida.
I didn’t know what to expect, it did. 4 Stars.
Latino rock! Je sais pas si c'est le meilleur guitariste ever, mais on rentre tellement dans son vibe en 5 secondes. C'est envoûtant comme musique. C'est sur cet album qu'il y a le classique black magic woman. Ça juste pas rapport comment c'est taste pour les oreilles. Chaque chanson a un riff et un mood différent et unique.
Santana's big album. Lots of Hispanic-influenced jazz here.
Wow
Clearly skilled and good, but I'll never want to put this on again. In all due respect.
Great combination of Mexican flavor and Americana rock vibes. Awesome instrumentals, beyond just the guitar - organ, keyboard, maracas
Hope You're Feeling Better Mother's Daughter Incident at Neshabur Grooving bass, fuzzy guitars, excellent instrumentation create an album that slides and pops for a fun, psychedelic, and latin-jazz rock sound. The guitar work is the highlight, but the inclusion of beautiful organ, keyboard, maracas, and the occasional backing vocals are well-constructed and add to the tracks.