Reviews (page 4 of 14)
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.
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.
Classic album, a Must listen
Love Santana from a long time ago forward! Great album.
Nothing quite like Santana
Pure Psychedelic/Latin Rock GOLD. Me hizo sacarme unos pasitos antiguos de herencia latina.
Classic, own the vinyl
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.
Nice drumming
What’s there to say other than..Brilliant! As played by Carlos Santana.
This was really nice
10/10
Great album!
One of his better ones !
Unbelievable, felt like I was on the edge of the universe looking in on something otherworldly
Loved it! I’m a huge Santana fan.
vibe! did not expect mostly instrumental tho 6/7
So good!
Legendary.
Interesring choice to listen, with múltiples and great mix of music from Latinoamérica
Cheerful, easy on the ear
Deliciously good!!!
Very involving. I will listen to this again.
Superb!
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.
Such a unique guitar tone. Great jams that don't overstay. Excellent
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.
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.
Really great album
Supreme!
Lots of awesome songs that bring back memories.
Love, love, love this album. Banger through and through.
Fucking awesome. Silky with a bite
OYE COMO VA MI RITMO BUENO PA GOZAR MULATA *the most delicious fkin solos ever* HUH!!
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.
Classic. Smooth and elegant guitar, psychedelic melodies and latin american rhythms
One of my all-time favorites from almost half a century ago!
One of Santana’s best
First rate guitar. Love the accompaniments throughout too.
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
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.
Mein lieblings Album von Santana. All Killers No Fillers.
Gänsehaut und Flashbacks! Ich bin nicht auf dem Laufenden: gibt es solche Musik heute noch?
In meiner Zeit gab es mehrere Monate einen Santana-Hype. Abraxas gehört zu den 3 Alben die richtig gut waren.
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.
Love it
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.
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.
Masterful work by Carlos Santana. The true pinnacle of Classic Latin Rock for all time!
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.
Excellent album. Highlighting Carlos Santana as an extraordinary guitar player.
This album has consensual sexual intercourse.
A blast from the past. I’d forgotten how amazing this album is. Thank you
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.
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.
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.
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.
tremendous vibes today, absolutely love this album. Love the guitar riffs and latin rock, vocals are great too. 4.5-5.
Fabulous Easy to listen to. Is she a black, magic woman, or a black-magic woman?
Lots of tasty licks. This album is on fire.
Love this album. Mom gave me her original copy. Never fails to capture the attention of anyone listening, young.. old... its timeless.
Lovely mix of Latin beats, jazzy tone, and rock guitar. Energetic without being overdriven
Beautiful
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
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
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.
Latino pero rock Mucha percusión buenísima
Feels good, nice variety, LOVE the guitar
beautiful
Fantastical and tasteful
Early Santana was great
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.
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
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.
Pichudo y corto
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.
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
Class
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.
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.
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.
A fantastic album from start to finish.
This was really good! It will be part of my rotation now.
Classic Sanata - Oye como va
Classico, molto figo.
Absolute cracker of an album. Great iconic tracks, really entertaining well put together music, excellent cultural and musical blends.
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.
Great album!
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
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
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.
A near perfect album, with classic after classic.
Excellent chill guitar
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.
Wow
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.
Amazing album, forever associated with Woodstock. Made for summer afternoons and outside listening. Love Mother's Daughter.
This was released the day I was born! And it's my first major surprise of these reviews, because I'd never heard this album before (though I recognized two of the songs), and loved it way more than I would have expected. "Hope you're feeling better" is the only slightly weak spot.
vinyl, really good record
Santana is one of my favourite guitarists so this is an easy 5
Really enjoyed this a lot more than I expected. Groovy, great amount of instrumental, different enough so as not to be boring.
This would be an easy 5 if it came out in 2023. The fact that it came out in 1970 makes it even more impressive. Santana’s guitar playing is obviously great, but upon revisiting these songs the percussion stands out as another tasty feature
i’m always down for a santana album, and this is one of my favorites. i own it on vinyl, i listen to it all the time, easy 5
Weird jams are my jam Really liked this album
Santana is a master of guitar. No notes.
I do already love Santana so good start I guess. Listened to it the man knows how to lick a mean guitar. Spanish makes me feel sexy
Buena la wea
Probably up there with Depeche Mode for my favorite album we’ve heard that I didn’t previously know. Great grooves from the percussion, fantastic guitar work. Fun fact, Fleetwood Mac (pre-Buckingham and Nicks) wrote Black Magic Woman.
This was a great album to listen to while high and it was also fun to hear classic Santana that’s totally different from his 21st century stuff. Oye como va was my favorite and Santana can fucking shred. It also held up the whole next day while I was sober. Pretty great album idk if it’s worth a 5 but I think it’s close enough.
Latin Beats meet classic rock and the result is great
OMA GO BO GA! OMA GO BO GA! HJEEEH OMA GO BO GA! Kun uskoo että vihdoin saa rauhaa uskoo että heh.. selättänyt soundin ja tuttua soitantaahan tämä vain.. heh.. PAMAUTETAAN SEMMOSILLA ASIOILLA HUUHHUH DONBASS ALUE KONSANAAAN Pommia pommin perään Sotarikoksia perkele kidutusta lapset siperiaa kohti & vanhuksille se kuula päähän vain heh
Loved this before i got this album. So many good and diverse tracks.
Some of these riffs are just too much.
Absolutely fantastic album.
From atmospheric to heavy, from Latin to fuzzy rock, with virtuosity in technique and musicality. Yes the guitar, but how about that percussion?! And organ on Se a Cabo?! Outstanding record start to finish.
Album 10 of 1001 Santana - Abraxas Favorite Track : Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen Rating : 5 / 5 Awesome album. It's like a 35 minute detour from whatever might be gnawing at your brain. Put this on, dim the lights..smoke 'em if you've got 'em (if you're into that) and just enjoy. Wonderfully done.
4.6/5
Oye, como va?
The album shows a lot how Latin American music has both changed and also stayed relatively consistent over the decades. There are a lot of elements in this album that you can hear going forward both in future Santana albums and future traditional Latin American music
This is still one of the most original musical works of the past 50+ years, which is really impressive. Groovy, spicy, surprisingly jazzy, earthy and spiritual. A bit jammy, but only in the best ways, with nuanced guitar work, crazy good percussion and a real fire in the belly kind of sound. You can tell Carlos and the band put their whole selves into this music. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Oye Cómo Va; Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen; Hope You're Feeling Better; Samba Pa Ti; Se a Cabó; Incident at Neshabur; El Nicoya; Singing Winds, Crying Beasts; Mother's Daughter
very goood.. really enjoyed
Перкуссия офигенная! Легкие ноты психодел-попа + латиноамериканского рока + щепотка фьюжна. Классно помедитировать под такое и проникнуться миром
Santana
Another selection once represented by my adolescent and young adult cassette collection, and listened to many, many times, though not for years or probably decades. Absolutely holds up for me, really about perfect in itself. Just an iconic product of its times as well.
Never in a bad mood listening to this. The first half in particular feels like a celebration of life. Put it on and try not dance.
Great album, I love how the instrumental Singing winds crying beasts runs right into Black Magic Woman. Oye Como Va is another classic track off this album. The Latin rhythms and Spanish lyrics really take you to another place. Great album
Amazing mystical guitar riffs. “Oye Como Va” always makes me happy
A classic
Santana's best album, IMO. The influences he brought to rock music are significant and best showcased in this album.
Yo this shit is crazy good.
Fire album
Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va back to back?!?! THEN A WHOLE REST OF AN ALBUM? Santana, you really shouldn't have.
Probably the best album that i've discovered from this list so far
A brilliant album!!
Santana sounding superb
I’ve been a huge fan of Santana’s self-titled debut for a long time but this is the first I’ve heard any other album of theirs I guess it makes sense to listen to their second album next anyway, sounds just as amazing as their first maybe not as many spectacular moments but still mostly incredible 10/10
I know this album well, except I haven't listened to it in a long time. I expect a 5, but we'll see what time will tell... ------- Ok, this started a bit ho hum for me. Singing Winds never got me started up and Black Magic Woman through Oye Como Va are incredible classic tracks that I think I'm burned out on. I always had mixed emotions on Incident at Neshabur. Sometimes I love it, sometimes it annoys me. I felt both sides as I listened to it tonight. It's certainly an amazing composition though. From my perspective, the album really dives in at Se a Cabo and takes me on a romping ride to the end. Samba Pa Ti is sometimes a downer for me, as was my experience tonight. However, we soon hear Hope You're Feeling Better. This is my personal favorite, always has been. Abraxas is not an album I'll pull out to listen to these days. There was another time and place in my life for that. I can't deny it's perfection though. Thanks for lighting this one up again!
Holy shit! That first hit of Carlos' guitar on the first song! Then we hear the congas, so I'm expecting a balls-out, totally Latin jam. Oh no.... cool jazz with some psychedelia in the background. That electric piano sounds like Ray Manzarek is riding on the storm. Then the segue into his most famous lick. I'm two songs in and I'm in awe! Can they keep it up? Well.... the next song is Oye Como Va which is another classic. Then into Incident at Neshabur which is atmospheric and wonderful. Flip the disc to Se a Cabo. Rocking riff, polyrhthms and a bit of fun to finish. It just keeps being brilliant:Mother's Daughter has Gregg Rolie bashing out some great bluesy vocals. Samba Pa Ti is the only song that Carlos dominates. It then finishes with some more Latin flourishes. This album showcases a band that has taken sounds from North and South America and merged them into an irresistible brew. Fabulous!
Listens: 2 Enjoyed: Definitely I was uhming and arghing about what to rate this. But honestly, I can't flaw it. The lack of lyrics on some tracks makes it almost psychedelic as you focus on how tight and rhythmic it all is and the whole album just makes you want to dance
If I don't give the album containing "Black Magic Woman" a 5 I would be insulting all guitar players. Santana is a God among men on the guitar. I still always find it hard to believe though that Fleetwood Mac wrote the song. "Oye Como Va" is another all time classic. My other highlights are "Incident at Neshabur" and "Samba Pa Ti" I could say more but its Santana and he speaks well enough for himself.
I forgot what an incredible album this is. Santana plays with so much touch and restraint that you can't help but be drawn into the songs. It's not just him, either. The whole band seems dedicated to the concept of "less is more." Gregg Rolie, in particular, lays down some insanely tasty organ parts that just MAKE the album. These musicians, to a man, make their chosen instruments sing to the point where the instrumental tracks are every bit as compelling as those with vocals. You can't help but follow along with the solos just like you would a singer's lyrics. It's masterful and I loved every minute of it. It was an instant repeat 5-star album for me.
A-MAZ-ING! One of the LPs that my Dad would often play through my childhood. Warm nostalgia as well as sheer joy from hearing one of the great rock jazz fusion albums. Great vocals from Journey founder Gregg Rolie. A solid gold favourite album.
Seit dreißig Jahren nicht mehr durchgehört, gefällt mir heute besser als damals. Incident at Neshabur und Hope You’re Feeling Better sind, neben dem üblichen Verdächtigen Samba Pa Ti und Black Magic Woman ein paar Bretter. Fünf Sterne, aber gerade so.
Super chilled latin rock. Santana's guitarmanship is God level, and the groovy beats are entrancing. Outstanding
Listened Before? N Whooooo weee! This one was HOT! Great album. Of course, I've heard Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va before... but the rest of this masterpiece grooves and smokes it's way through a too-short 37 minutes of awesome. Just wonderful. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Black Magic Woman
This is a great album. I was jamming out to all the songs, and I like that the album was pretty short. Better for an album to be short and sweet rather than drag on for too long. Favorite song: Black magic woman / Gypsy queen Worst song: El Nicoya
Really great album with two monster hits in "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va". Guitar playing across the rest of the album is just as fantastic. 8/10.
One of my favorite albums. Such incredible guitar and drum. No wonder Santana was such a star.
Santana arguably at his best. Killer grooves and guitar licks.
I've heard Black Magic Woman before, but I forgot what a RIDE it is!!! Also, so smooth throughout. Love the guitar and organ so far. Fun bass, lots of fun percussion. The opening track is a great instrumental. Makes you wanna shake it! The rhythm section here is doing SO MUCH work. Lush composition, very sensual, good flow and shift. This feels like a record bands like Yes or King Crimson hump at bigtime. Fuck, this shift in Incident At Neshabur feels like 70s prog rock with different percussion syncopation. Surprised I haven't heard more prog nerds sucking off Santana. Nah, this is really good, and I want to listen to more! Jazzy, fusion-y maybe?, latin rhythms, good mix of motion and technical showiness and melody.
Had no Idea that Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va we're off the same album, let alone right after one another. Great album all the way down. Incedent in Neshabur is a great tune as well. Santana is one of those bands that is cleshae to like, right? They're great
Great Album all the way through. Every track brings something new and worth listening too. Overall fantastic .
This is a great album. This has all the hits. This also led me to finally listen to Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, since he essentially wrote Black Magic Woman. This is the definitive starting ground for Santana's discography and a lot of jam bands from the era.
Pretty good
Trop bon, tellememt de classique. J'ai toujours ete fan de santana 1 et celui ci edt la suite logique. Mervi a peter green pour blacl magic woman !
Got lost in some amazing guitar work
The best rhythm n' trip!
Phenomenal album, creative covers. Impressive guitaring.
it's fucking santana, ofc i'm going to like it
Old funky guitar rifts.
Very lovely. Samba Pa Ti is beautiful.
Free-form-Latin-stoner music. Good stuff even if you're stone cold sober.
Instant classic album
Nace una estrella
All around great album: this song has great Latin stuff in Oye Como Va as well as bluesier stuff like Hope You’re Feeling Better.
Love it!
Beautiful
great!
cool
Love me some Santana! Amazing guitar and great mix of rock, Latin flair and jazziness...just so entertaining and fun musically! Listened to this during my childhood and it more than holds up!!
Quite a treat! 9/10
Loved it
Thia album is beautiful, so much going on- so much rythemic and melodic texture, some of the songs even move like mini classical pieces with the way they proceed and resolve. The standout for me is Incident at Neshabur. Of course, Oye Como Va is a standout as well-along with the other hit Black Magic Women. All in all, amazing!
strange but great to wake up from
Mex I can
Excellent fusion of genres. You have latin, jazz, blues-rock, and jam all under the hood on Abraxas. This album captures a lot of different ideas that were happening at the time in music and presents it masterfully to the world.
21/03/2022
Psychedelia at its finest.
First intentional brush with the legend, and I think it was an incredible first brush.
Il s'agit de ma confiture.
I got a black magic woman Got me so blind I can't see That she's a black magic woman She's tryin' to make a devil out of me
Excellent album, the first one better tho
Not a single weak song on this whole album. I only knew the singles but I thought every track held up. Hard to believe this gem is over 50 years old, it feels just as fresh today. 5/5 stars
Solid smooth vibes
CLASSIC FOR A REASON! Love this album.
Brilliant fusion of jazz rock funk soul latin music. 1970 as well, i didn’t know how early this was. I could listen to this all day and not get bored or annoyed.
wtf
An incredible album even by today's standards. This is easily one of Santana's finest works that continues to offer me joy with each listen. Favorites: "Black Magic Woman", Oye Como Va", "Hope You're Feeling Better"
the album with Oye como Va. This album was really fucking solid. Also, the album artwork absolutely fucks.
Love this album - sometimes you need music like this to wash over you.
Always been my fave
Santana is its own thing, isn't it? Like a genre unto itself. Instantly recognizable but hard to describe. It's even more interesting to me as the songs are from a variety of songwriters (Fleetwood Mac! Tito Puente!) and yet sound so cohesive. How is it that no one else plays the guitar like that? Copyright? Trademark? I mean, 29 years later, with another big hit album, you knew it was Santana again. Having never heard this album besides the two big songs, I really loved the ride this took me on.
I am certainly familiar with Santana, but I have never listened to this (nor any Santana) album before. I was quite pleased with it all. Honestly, previous to listening to this album, I thought that I didn't like Santana in that way. The occasional song here and there was all I thought that I was interested in. I have changed my mind on that for sure...at least for this album. I will check some other Santana albums out now too.
Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen is a great track. Oye Como Va is also pretty sick. Incident at Neshabur is also also pretty sick. Really enjoy Mother's Daughter and Samba Pa Ti is also great - loving this album so far! Hope You're Feeling Better is sick. Honestly, what a great album! Every song is at least good and nearly all are great. First time listening through a full Santana album and I don't regret it.
Great playing by Santana, wonderful songs
This is a staple album, definitely belongs on this list. Santana is an incredible guitarist and musicion, blending his culture with some amazing classic rock styles. Must listen.
4.5/5 Quite a bit of variety, consistently exciting. Still coming around to Oye Como Va.
funky and classic
Fucking kickass album. Favorite tracks are Black Magic Woman, Mother's Daughter, and Oye Como Va.
stupendous!
9/10
Whoa! I never knew that Black Magic Woman was written about a car that Carlos fell in love with. Talking about how he's going to leave his family because his black magic woman (BMW) put a curse on him and now all he wants to do is drive this black German car. Absolutelly WILD! The balance of this album is equally as surprising in that it is impeccable. Good work, team!
10/10
Classic songs on a classic Santana album.
Surprisingly loved, great guitar, not cheesy, good background listening
Santana could probably record his fart sounds played over guitar and drums and I would love it
Very good album, surprising! Enjoyed the fusion of sounds.
Now this is the stuff I'm talking about. Smooth, sexy, and confident, but with an underlying rhythmic thrust that keeps driving forward. You have classics like Black Magic Woman and Oye Come Va on this and one of the most visually striking covers ever so...come on.
Another amazing one! Loved Santana as a kid but don’t think I realized he was making this stuff back in 1970. Killer
overall thoughts: honestly? a near-perfect if not perfect album. i could play this from beginning to end and not run into a song that don't hit. i mean, what's not to like?? sick guitar playing, percussion, keyboard, everythiiing. had a wicked headache before putting this record on, and guess what, I'm chill af now. gotta love psychedelic latin rock. a classic, 5/5. fave tracks: black magic woman, samba pa ti, mother's daughter, oye como va, hope you're feeling better (they're all great tho)
Dope album
Classic stuff. So well written. So many layers. Great shit.
Outstanding, classic guitar hero!
einfach gut.
It’s quite good, mixing their Latin music with the musical stylings of free form jazz to create an exiting listen
Love this album
Unreal
One of the best albums of my life!
Very solid concept album! Oye como va Mi ritmo
All-time classic. So good, from beginning to end. So many iconic tracks, too.
Sublime guitar work. Really can hear how he shape it for the next gen and the next gen
perfeito, santana é foda
*dances*
vibe
klassiker
graande santanaa
awesome
Very good, I love Santana. Black Magic Woman and Oyler Como Va were obviously the best, but all the songs were amazing
Love this album. Found it 30 years ago in high school.
IMPECÁVEL
One of the greats. Best track: Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen
I did really like the fusions on display here. It has a bit off jazz, a bit of rock, a bit of blues, and it does work together really well. It kind of started sounding like generic and mostly skippable rock by the end, but still short and sweet enough for it to be worth a listen.
I have not heard this before. I have heard most of these songs on classic rock radio or at hippie parties in college. I’d been avoiding anything Santa since he released that solo album with the collaborations with other artists including the god awful Smooth featuring the Matchbox 20 douchebag on vocals. So! The stink of Smooth and the other dreck from that album are nowhere to be found here. I think this is the same lineup he had for Woodstock including the 19 year old kid on drums who can absolutely wail. Great mix of hard rock and latin music and the only downer parts is when they go for a standard hard rock sound. I’m not a big fan of Santana’s guitar playing but it’s not bad here and is the weakest link, everyone else in the band is fantastic. So I’m glad I can reassess Santana. I am not going to reassess Smooth.
Fun and funky last gasp of the 60s psychedelic vibe.
reckon it's peak.
4/5
WOW, WOW y WOW. Que album tan interesante, no me esperaba para nada encontrarme con algo asi. Le di play sin nunca antes haber escuchado hablar de la banda o del album y de entrada me gustó (aunque el primer tema es literalmente una introducción melódica al disco) y pensé que se iba a tratar de otra gran banda de rock progresivo/psicodélico de los 70. Pero que sorpresa me llevé cuando entré a averiguar un poco mas de la banda y me di cuenta que eran latinoamericanos! Obviamente mas adelante en el album la influencia sudaca está fuertemente representada, pero se mezcla tan bien con otros géneros como el rock "progresivo" ya mencionado y hasta con un poco de jazz y blues que deja un resultado increíble. Destaco muchísimo los ultimos 2 o 3 minutos del tema "Incident at Neshabur", simplemente maravillosos. Gratísima sorpresa haberme encontrado con este album, seguiré escuchando mas de la banda. 4 estrellas y media.
Mukavaa hitusen jatsahtavaa latino-tilutus-rokkia.
Mukavasti soljuvaa lattarirokkia, psykerokkia, ihanvaanrokkia. Santana on aivan kova kitarataituri, kivaa kuunneltavaa pitkin pituuttaan.
Some great music on here, Santana delivers on this album, enjoy!
rather chaotic, ended more chill, have to be in the right mood
9/10. Was slightly sceptical at first as I saw there were a few songs that didnt have English titles. However I was very pleasantly surprised. Guitar was very good, groovy songs and an easy listen.
Mysterious, occasionally psychedelic, and front-loaded with classics; an excellent, well-rounded Santana album.
Right up my alley. Pleasant from start to finish.
Great album…a master at work. Good reliable tunes
Ive always liked parts of this record. Oye como va and black magic woman are very good songs that ive know forever. I just wasn't expecting to like what else was here as much as I did. The way that Santana is the voice of the band from behind a guitar is impressive. Sure there are lyrics to some of the songs and they are pretty decent too but when the guitar comes in its leading the band. Its very cool to see an instument take the lead like that. And his tone is really sick. Its iconic. Hard not to hear Carlos when you hear him. And hes very good at it too. Some great riffs and great improv. At least what feel like improv. It feels so natural. The record starts off so incredibly strong. The first 4 songs are perfect. It does loose me a tiny bit after that but not that much. Just a little. But its still great after that. Surprised that im this into it but hell yes ill take it any day. Great record
Très cool
More tracks like Black Magic Woman, and this could have easily been a real 5. But we get lots of filler, and at 37 minutes it just scapes in as an LP. A 3.5, but then 'Hope you're feeling better' brings it through to a 4.
el principio PEEEAK pero las canciones de rock más generico me lo bajan a un 4
Classic, smooth, essential electric guitar.
RATING: 9/10 HIGHLIGHT: Singing Winds, Crying Beasts LOWLIGHT: Mother's Daughter
Hm
Eigenlijk 3,5 maar dan wordt het toch maar een 4. Paar lekkere nummers, maar het wordt ook wel wat eentonig
Сара 4 Марко 4
B+
I was raised by hippie parents and saw Santana play many times with the Dead. I’m sure this must have been played in my household but somehow I only remember the hits. It’s a great album! Was very happy to revisit.
Great album. I actually own this one and have listened to it many times. Several hit songs but also some lesser known ones that are still really good. Plenty of variety makes this a great album that I will listen to many more times.
Wasn’t excited for this one. Santana can be weird personally, but I see he apologized for his backwards views recently. Made me feel better rocking out to this one. It was so much better than I thought it would be. Great guitar riffs, jazzy and catchy.
Great guitar playing, Nice percussion, jazzy vibes, not so great singing 😁
As a Bay Area Zoomer, I enjoyed the sound and prefer this type of psychedelic sound with Latin (am I allowed to use this term in this specific application) influences. Definitely helped with my accounting homework.
8/10
I'd be hard pressed to tell you where one song ended and another began, but they blend together into a blissfully groovy listen that doesn't outstay its welcome. It's not a kind of music I could see myself really going crazy over, but there's also nothing bad about it. Just a good time with good musicianship, and nice to have on!
Just what I needed as relief from recent death and depression themes. Never got them at the time - I was young and this sounded like old man's music to me then. Not surprising I get it now then! Some great music here although a few tracks rambled on a bit longer than I'd like. I rate the Black Magic Woman cover as highly as the Fleetwood Mac original and that comes from the Peter Green era which is my favourite FM period. Samba Pa Ti is also a classic instrumental which really defines the Santana sound. Good vibe all round.
is ok ig 4/5
The meaning of this album isn't in the lyrics (of which there are relatively few) - it's in the mental and actual picture of Carlos Santana, eyes closed, swooning as he plays some delicious guitar figure. His strengths are in his playing and his selection of material: Tito Puente and Peter Green provide the well-trod hits but pretty much everything here is at least good. And the vibes, man: this is one of the better pure guitar albums to come out of psychedelia (non-Hendrix division), in large part because it's cut with Latin and jazz influences in equal proportions (and because Santana has the good sense to keep the song lengths down). Blissful and enchanting.
Fantastic! 4.5
4.3/5 - Now I know where Oye Como Va is from. Not outstandingly interesting, so probably would not listen again.
Very cool
Solid album. glad I gave it a chance
80
Carlos Santana is super talented, and Abraxas is him at his best.
now this is how you do interesting rock instrumentals. loved the rock + latin + jazz fusion.
classic
I like mostly instrumental guitar albums, so this one is slappy but I can understand why some might not like it. I'd give it 3.5 but since there are no halves bumping itup to a 4
Abraxas is Santana's second album released in 1970. The music is chicano/latin blues jazz fusion psychedelic rock. it's a good album for this list because of the unique blend of genres. The most well known songs on this album, Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen and Oye Como Va are covers of Peter Green/Fleetwood Mac and Tito Puente songs. The other songs are good and are varied - jass/rock fusion, latin rock fusion, rock, a ballad and latin percussion. A large part of the songs (or the whole song) are instrumental jams. Other songs I like are Singing Winds, Crying Beasts, Incident at Neshabur, Mother's Daughter and hope you're feeling better. I liked this album more each time I listened to it. Santana is not just Carlos, it's a band!
already heard
Psychedelic! Black magic woman! Do you need some killer background music for your next party? This is it.
Yummy. Great rhythm work, gorgeous guitar, I could do without the vocals on a few of these.
Really nice guitar work with some salsa/latin dance vibes mixed in makes for an enjoyable, relaxing album. 3.5/5.