Reviews (page 4 of 14)
each song keeps the album fresh. the Latin beat is nice
7.5 good solid
5/5 the guitar fucks so hard and also has some pop hits and Latin drum beats like reggaeton Oye como va!
conocía una canción: oye cómo va
Good stuff. A nice listen.
3.5
I didn't know this album, but I know who Santana is. I liked it, great mix between rock and salsa sounds
muy bueno
6/10 Not something i listem to usual but some I genuinely liked a few songs
All-time classic.
The ferment of the 60s was more productive than we can easily imagine. Everybody welcome! Afro-cuban? Sure! Jam? Why not? It is, to me, too easy to not recognize that a whole world exists beyond the rock radio hits we get overly familiar with at the expense of the creativity produced in that ferment. My only problem with this? Who thought 37 minutes was long enough?
I’m not sure I’ve ever listened to a complete Santana album before. I did like the singles and the vibe. Definitely better than some and I would probably listen to it again. Probably a 3.5 for me.
This is a fantastic record. Great arrangements, exciting percussion, a lot of tasty playing. Excellent song choices and wild album art. I had never listened to this album front to back. Loved it.
I enjoyed this well enough. The two hits are cool. I love Santana's tone. He really is one of the great guitarists. I just prefer other albums by them more. Like Caravanserai. That one is a gem. Also, the album he did with John McLaughlin. This one just doesn't quite do it for me to get more than a 3.
When the jam hits for just the right amount of time it’s brilliant. Just some jams too long for my liking
Nice late evening listen. Send dad.
Good rythms and professional guitarplay. Somewhat meditative. I thank the album for our time together, but it will never happan again.
Great transitional album from the 1960s into the 1970s. Well produced, a great experience, and essential listening.
This album rocks. Too bad Carlos Santana is a transphobe
Holy shit what an album, I keep thinking about it long after listening.
Day 237 Fun album, obviously the guitar the highlight Highlights Black Magic Woman I Hope your Feeling Better
Enjoyable chill
Groovy. Into it. Good Friday night jams...
No other rock band sounded like Santana back in the late 60’s, with their latin polyrhythms and blues solos. Wonderful sophomore album. 4
The tastefulness of the arrangements elevate this beyond what it might have been. Santana's guitar playing never feels self-indulgent, but totally in harmony with the band. But his guitar IS incredible, perhaps most notably on Black Magic Woman. It almost feels like a living breathing thing. Oye Como Va is the most Latin of the songs so far, especially the vocals, but the Hammond organ gets to shine as well. Great soulful guitar again. Incident at Neshabur is very strong as well, a jazzy instrumental with an extended intro before the guitar comes in and a beautiful calm middle section. Se a Cabo is mostly instrumental again: first the guitar takes center stage, then the tribal sounding drums. Mother's Daughter is a lively blues rocker with nice riffing, then Samba Pa Ti is emotional again, an almost perfect instrumental. The quality of the solo and lead guitar work on Hope You're Feeling Better is outstanding - I'm repeating myself. Say no more. Perfect runtime and an incredible fusion album. Not to be missed.
Wow… or do I mean erm .. what an album? I do think the recess was heavily linked to them being one of the few bands to do anything coherent at Woodstock . Obviously it goes either with out saying that he is a great guitarist and I bet they are great live .. I just do not really want to listen to this hippy over indulgence
A perfect fusion of rock, latin, jazz and blues that keeps things fresh and never overstays its welcome. Gorgeous guitar playing and an amazing rhythm section. Flawless.
Me pareció una mezcla interesante entre sonidos más latinos en la percusión en conjunto con buenos riffs de guitarra. Muy buen álbum.
Very nice music, good to listen alone and chill or relax.
groovy I enjoyed, but probably wouldn’t choose to listen to it again fav songs- el nicoya, mother’s daughter, oye como va
La segunda canción de este álbum me hace sentirme a lado de mi abuelo en este plano terrenal, la hipnótica guitarra de santana siempre me ha llevado a lugares y personas que amo incluso cuando me encuentro en un plano diferente. gran álbum para ser el primero que escucho en esta app.
I like Santana, easy to listen to
Probably the most accessible Santana album with a mix of covers from rock to salsa, all well played.
Felt like I was transported to a psychedelic hippie den while listening to this album. Oye Como Va and Black Magic Woman are classics, the rest are decent songs with impressive guitar riffs. (3)
Meget anderledes, og jeg synes sådan set at det var ret fedt, dog er det nok ikke noget jeg ville sætte på, og tror jeg ville være nødt til at lytte til det et par gange for at vende mig til lyden, men vildt fedt at blive introduceret for genren. 2 føles hårdt, og jeg ved ikke hvor meget jeg synes det fortjener en 2'er
TA GUENO, NO ME ESPE
I largely ignored Santana in my teens even though I was told he is a great guitarist and I was massively into Rock music. I put this down to Smooth being released and it just sounding like a cheesy rock song at the time. Since then I have heard different things and it's clear he is great guitarist, but this album didn't do that much for me. I feel kinda justified in the fact that I mainly listened to Deep Purple, Hendrix, Led Zep from the same era as they are a lot better in my opinion. That being said, some great moments on this album and all round I'll give it a 3.
Number: 91 Date: 04/03/2026 Artist: Santana Album: Abraxas Year: 1970 Genre: Latin Fusion Psychedelic Rock Rating: 4 Notes: Before: ======= I like Santana pretty well. They're not my favorite by any means but I do think a list of 1000 essential albums has to include something by Santana. Probably even a list of 500 and maybe even a list of 200. I am surprised to see this is their only album on the list given the authors proclivity for including multiple albums from so many artists that were popular in the 70s. During: ======= 3 Singing Winds, Crying Beasts 4 Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen 5 Oye Como Va 3 Incident At Neshabur 3 Se A Cabo 3 Mother's Daughter 3 Samba Pa Ti 4 Hope You're Feeling Better 3 El Nicoya ----------------------------------------------------- 3.49 WEIGHTED AVERAGE (accounts for song lengths) After : ======= 3 my personal rating 5 suitability for this list 5 impact ----------------------------------------------- 4.3 composite rating
I couldn’t vibe with the super jammy, jazzy tracks, but the hits are great, and Carlos’ guitar playing across the entire record is exceptional. Killer bongos too.
Along with Cream, Allman Brothers, Hendrix's Band of Gypsies, and the Dead this is 1970 jamband ground zero, exploding psychedelia beyond the fussy over-composed twee pop of London by sprawling out into improvisation of blues funk and jazz and, here, latin rhythms. The percussion and the guitar are the stars on this - constant polyrhythmic power and gritty dark overdriven SG tone and dorian / harmonic minor harmonies. The songs/writing and vocals aren't really much to remember but function as the vehicle for the jam/groove.
p4zedostatnia piosenkq chyba calkim spoko, pozatym nic szczegolnego, ladna okladka
Heard this often as a kid and used to know “Samba Pa Ti” completely by heart.
This is such a danceable album! It's great to just have on in the background throughout the day or for a chill hangout. Definitely makes my body want to move!
That cover of Black magic woman was just the cherry on top, favorite Fleetwood Mac song, so amazing to hear a slightly different take on it. Loses a star for me because I love lyrics and this wasn't very heavy on lyrics
dosta nedosljedno. prema ima momenata i pjesama gdje sam si mislio "fora!" ili "baš dobro!", ima i bumerskih rok momenata i, najgore, tortiljskih baljezgarija zbog kojih ne može dobiti više od trojke. zapravo šteta
Excellent organ representation. Good album for getting high.
Not terrible, not for me though. 2/5
Es muy distinto a lo que suele haber en esta lista. Es interesante la mezcla de sonidos que tiene, pero por momentos se siente como música de ascensor. No sé si lo volvería a escuchar.
My fav Santana, doesn't feel to work out and cool album art
Go Latin rock! I didn’t feel obsessed with any song in particular but I would put this on to cook or something and jam out. Fast as you can by Fiona Apple is to when the pawn as incident at neshabur is to abraxas. Would love this if I wanted to just listen to guitar riffs. Perfect album for a guitar riff lover. Very impressive but as it went on it became less to my taste. Favorites: black magic woman, oye como va
Lovely psychedelic jazz fusion stuff.
I FUCKING HATE SPANISH SPEAKING PEOPLE I HOPE THEY ALL DIE TOGETHER WITH ALL THE INDIANS AND PAKISTANIS MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER AND LESS POPULATED PLACE
Yeah okay
Fun and upbeat latin music, not many vocals. Good instrumentals, great, even.
Me sorprendió para bien, el ritmo latino es delicioso.
es un disco raro a primera escucha pero buenos temas, una guitarra hermosa, mamas daughter temon
Heck yeah. Black Magic Woman is a forever classic
Fun enjoyable groovy
Magic
good
Cuando la psicodelia se mezcla con los sonidos latinos solo puedes garantizar un éxito como este. 0001
I bet it feels really good to be one of these guitars.
El álbum destaca por su profunda atmósfera psicodélica; el uso de los bongós es un acierto total, ya que logra evocar una sonoridad tribal muy envolvente. Sin embargo, el disco flaquea en su estructura general: al repetir los mismos recursos rítmicos y melódicos en casi todos los cortes, la experiencia termina volviéndose algo monótona.
Muy buen album para entrar a conocer a santana
Great music for a big summer cook out.
L’album s’écoute sans accrocs, avec une très bonne ambiance, du groove. Il accompagne à merveille un moment de détente (jeu ou dessin)
Sick cover, funky groves
Me outloud, seeing that today was a Santana album: "OH HELL YEAH".
I liked it. Few interesting tracks, and very nice soundstage.
Classic 70s
Gran disco de percusión y solos de guitarra que alimenta el gran disco en vivo que años después grabará el gran Carlos.
A masterpiece and a showcase for Carlos Santana's guitar playing. Anyone who was a teenager during the 1970s surely must have had a smooch to "Samba Pa Ti", and if you were lucky, "Oye Cómo Va" as well. Album also has a version of "Black Magic Woman" that I think is better than the original version by Peter Green and Fleetwood Mac.
Iconic is a word that gets used far too often but that is the only word for this album. Banger after banger with Hope You're Feeling Better and Incident at Neshabur being my personal standouts.
Didn't love this but Carlos sure plays a sweet guitar.
Easy to listen to latin rock.
A true classic of psychedelic rock, Carlos Santana has a magical and romantic sound that mixed with samba and a latin touch, works very well, also the guitar solos are incredible. Although I had already heard "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va," the entire album surprised and delighted me.
Vibes, sexy, summertime Faves on first listen Oyo Como Va Samba Pa Ti Hope you're feeling better
Yesterday, to start a stressful week off right, I requested that the website give me 5 continuous 5 star albums in a row. Today, insanely enough, I’m 2/2. Carlos Santana is on the Mount Rushmore of Hispanic Guitarists, and just outside of the overall Mount Rushmore. I feel like every successful artist has a song that features him, and if you don’t, you just haven’t made it yet. Anyway, it’s rare to hear him on a solo album. Of course I knew “Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen” and “Oye Como Va”, the ladder of which being my favorite song on the album going into this, but this entire album is just insanely good from top to bottom. It fades into the background at some point and helps me lock in to my work when I need to. The guitar playing, as previously mentioned, is phenomenal. But, it’s not just 40 minutes of guitar playing. It’s so much deeper than that. The entire album as a whole just flows into itself and is actually better as a whole. The 2 hits play right after each other, and to hear them both in the full context of the album is freaking awesome. Something immensely humorous I find about Santana from his Wikipedia page is that he was ranked as Rolling Stone Magazine’s 20th best guitarist in 2015, but then in 2023 they corrected this to number 11. Curious as to what changed in that time to lift him to a much more accurate position. Fan outrage?? Or did they just realize how much of a mistake they made. Anyway, the album art makes me think I’m about to dive into some Heavy Metal or something. It still kinda fits, but it’s pretty crazy looking. Definitely has undertones of an LSD induced trip. Love this album, love Santana, wish he had more albums on here. We’re off to a good start to the week. Let’s see if we can get 3 5’s in a row for the first time ever. I’m feeling pretty good about it.
Great album
Quality album brings back memories of my dad who loved Santana
Slightly different sound to the mountain of 60s/70s blues rock on here. Not different enough though. 3 Heard before? Some Owned: No 59/241 (24%) Will I get: No
Solid album with some fun jams
Three and a half, some good tunes and guitar for a sunny day
A really fun fusion of blues, rock and samba. It feels really jazzy at points and I like that the piano, organ, bass and percussion take centre stage at different points in addition to the guitar. The cover of Oye Como Va was my favourite song from the album, but I enjoyed the entire tracklist.
I like the drums a lot and the screechy guitar. I am not usually a big fan of almost purely instrumental music. This is probably the type of music i would love to listen to at the beach with my peers, not at home though.
Like a lot of people, I associate Santana with that shitty song from the 90s. People told me he was good, but I didn’t believe them because….come on, he made that song. Anyways, last year I listened to this album for the first time and was pleasantly surprised. I guess his tastes just got worse as he got older.
Santana es un capo. Nada más que decir.
Really really good Will I listen to again: 100%
This is brilliant. What a rock album! I was genuinely sorry that the album ended.
Story time: this was one of my dad's vinyls but I wasn't allowed to touch it because my mom said it was satanic. I've got to ask both of them why, I'm guessing it's because of Santana's last name, though the cover can't help. Brilliant songs, he really knew how to cover and the organ and vocals and guitar are out of this world.
Santana has developed a reputation for smooth, polyrhythmic beats, and "Abraxas" is no different. Latin rock with hints of psychedelia, particularly on opening track "Singing Winds, Crying Beasts", Santana energetically slides from tune to tune, many of which are instrumentals. Carlos Santana doesn't really need his voice though; his brass inspired guitar style is as distinctive and dynamic ever, and his more restrained, jazzy playing on "Incident at Neshabur" is up there with some of his best. He is arguably outshined, however, by the remaining members of his band, who perform brilliantly in developing this vibrant, rhythmic LP.
Very good experience. Will definitely relisten. Only inconveniant? Too short
killer jams. "Hope You're Feeling Better" is a good find. the sound of santana's guitar is singular.
not what i expected from the album art
top 3 - Singing Winds, Crying Beasts, Black Magic Woman, Mother’s Daughter. It’s nice but I’m not sure how often I would be in the mood to listen to this. Really great guitar playing!
A prime example of an album I’ve completely overlooked despite knowing it existed. I used to see this all the time in bargain bins at record fairs and still never picked it up — no idea why, because this is fantastic. From the moment it starts, you’re dropped straight into that mix of Latin percussion, warm grooves, and Carlos Santana’s soaring, expressive guitar work. The rhythms are alive and constantly shifting, and the guitar lines just glide over the top with real flair. It’s energetic, colourful, and full of that distinctive atmosphere only Santana seem to pull off. Thoroughly enjoyed this one. Blistering guitar against Latin rhythms — what’s not to like?
I had never heard this whole album, and it was good! This put Latin beats back on the American cultural map in the 60’s and they continue to thrive.
Psychedelic rock has never been my thing but after learning to play guitar in my 50’s, I definitely respect the brilliance of his guitar work. The music just isn’t enjoyable to me
“Abraxas” is Santana’s most important early album, and it was a pleasure to listen to it in its entirety again after so long. Everyone probably knows “Black Magic Woman” and the instrumental “Samba Pa Ti” (and perhaps “Oye Como Va” as well), but on this listen, “Hope You're Feeling Better” stood out to me in a particularly positive way. The real strength of Abraxas, however, lies not only in the magnificent performances and the sound that was completely groundbreaking at the time, but also in the narrative arcs that span multiple songs (exactly one side each on the vinyl version). This is, of course, a result of years of live experience (and probably explains why no one listens to the albums of average pop acts), but some artists just pull it off particularly well.
I am an avowed Santana hater. I gave this as honest a shake as I could give it and… I strongly disliked it. I’m having a hard time articulating what about it I dislike so much. The guitar? The organ? The percussion? The long-winded instrumental sections? "But aren’t you Latino?" Yes, and I dislike it all the same. Give me some cumbia. It’s not enough to warrant a 1, but it’s certainly a 2/5 for me.
Very good!
Classic album. 5 stars all the way.
Good but not my thing. Did really like the last three tracks though
This is what white people wanted Bad Bunny to sound like at the Super Bowl.
Great Latin album with lots of cool sounds like the electric organ and chimes.
I liked it crazy it also had some crazy album art. The vibes were good.
None of these songs are the same. Which makes some of them memorable and fun. Others are nails on a chalkboard.
Who doesn't like Santana
This just sounds so dated, it's like a parody of a cheesy lounge act. The first track made me wonder if they knew they were recording as it sounds like they're just tuning up. I can't for the life of me fathom what makes this record 'essential'.
Have to confess I didn't manage the whole album, though it was also better than I expected. I don't really like the whole blues rock thing, it gets right on my wick, always feels self-indulgent in a way that I just can't reconcile. And it goes on a bit really doesn't it.
Love everything about this one. The rhythm section pairs perfectly with Santana’s leads.
nice album but not something i think ill revisit a lot
This is still amazing after such a long time. Did hear it very often in every decade of my life. Can still recommend it.
I grew up jamming this album with my dad. Excellent. We played Santana at his funeral.
groovy
2.5
Wanky guitar, wanky organs and even wanky bongoes. Not my thing.
some Latin Rock album that got famous in 1969 on Woodstock ig that says plenty just as the cover wow a song that was referenced by nine inch good stuff, i like that theres almost no vocals. each song has its own character in a way, but they're not drastically different at the same time. i liked it, but not my cup of tea. i liked "incident at neshabur", "se a cabo",
I don't care what anyone says, I'm giving this 5*. The whole thing is just such a great time. The blend of latin rhythms with heavier guitar riffs and exciting drums. I couldn't help but smile throughout the whole thing. Beautiful! Favourites: Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen Incident At Neshabur Se a Cabo Samba Pa Ti
Clásico y maravilloso El cruce de dos culturas y abrazadas juntas en lo más alto
3/9 Classic album. Not a bad song on it
His guitar playing holds up! Still sounds great. The songs themselves didn't do that much for me on their own, but there wasn't anything bad about it.
Wonderful music, finally a decent album on this list to really listen to.
Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background Enjoyable, but not something I see myself returning to often.
Don’t get me wrong. Nice guitar. But not the perfect vibe for me.
Discazo
I am pretty sure that Carlos Santana is the most famous latin music artist in the world and yet I had only heard of one of the songs on this album. But when I listened to it I knew three. "Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen", "Oy Como Va" and "Samba Pa Ti". There is an interesting mix of musical styles in this album. The latin guitar, timbales and cowbell is present, as you would expect. But there is a definite psychedelic rock feeling at the start of Black magic woman and Hope You're Feeling Better. With some distorted synth organ and vocals making it feel a bit like Arthur Brown. But then you have Incident at Neshabur that starts like Duke Ellington has briefly taken over, then Iron Butterfly takes over. None of it should work, but it really does. This is a hybrid album and I like it. (3.500)
On the one hand I think, “What a hero,” on the other hand I know I won’t be listening to this album again on my own.
Solid album Standout songs: Se a Cabo Samba Pa Ti
Enjoyed this more than I expected! An engaging mix of hard rock, prog rock, and traditional Mexican music styles. Very listenable, very fun.
I feel like that meme. Okay, was anybody gonna tell me how great Santana was? Or was I just supposed to figure out how great Santana was on my own?
Slightly less than mid.
Very groovy and fun.
Solid Album
The Santana album
This is fine but not really my thing and there was nothing in here that made me go "hell yeah this kicks ass" besides some really good guitar.
I liked this album far more than I expected. I didn't like Oyo Como Ya, expecting it to be the best song on the album. Instead, it is kind of the worst. I could listen to this album in the background and enjoy it.
Santana (not featuring Rob Thomas)
Ok for me. Got a groove, but not really feeling it. Maybe I’m too sober?? 3
Technically impressive. Definitely some fine guitar work. I'd probably rate a 4 or 5 if I were still consuming the devil's lettuce, but there's not really enough structure to satisfy sober me. If you love it when jam bands go off on a 45 minute tangent, you'll probably love this.
Wow. This album is packed with virtuosic performances. Carlos Santana is an amazing guitarist, and everyone else in the band keeps pace with great playing too. The music is a blend of psychedelic rock, jazz, Latin music, hard rock, and blues. There’s a lot of variety across the 9 tracks, but it all feels like the product of the same band. I’m just realizing now while I listen to this that Khruangbin, one of my favorite current bands, owes a great deal to Santana. They have their own unique blend of styles from around the globe, but they were clearly very influenced by Santana.
Santana is awesome, fully of flavor, with tasteful melodies, great guitar playing and singing, and all of this combines to be a really enjoyable listening experience. I know a lot of Hispanic people that absolutely adore him, and I think this is telling that he's not like on outsider attempting to make Latin music, he's the real deal. The panning is really great on this album. "Oye Como Va" is of course amazing, and I appreciate that I can sit and really enjoy the bongos and congas in the right ear, the guiro in the left, and the guitar cutting right through the middle. "Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen" is one of the best electric guitar songs of all time; probably within my personal top 100. Every note is so memorable, every phrase is tasteful. The tone is SO good. The lick that breaks through at 00:45 and what comes after is really masterful.
This gets 4 stars for Oye Como Va. The Woodstock performance of this is incredible. Sure the rest of the album wanders around a bit, but it does give a good sense of the 70s
Wank fest
Liked more than I expected to given how much I dislike that song he did with Rob Thomas
I thought this wouldn't be "my thing," but I think it might be "my thing."
Classic fusion of psychedelic and latin, makes for a very enjoyable album. Black magic woman and oye como va are stand out tracks.
This album definitely deserves more than 3 stars but it doesn’t fit my personal taste profile and that’s what I’m ranking it for. Delightful journey, wonderfully mastered, and 100% belongs on this list of albums you MUST listen to at least once
Dad always used to listen to this album. Nostalgic.
Santana is a late 60s/early 70s artist that I’ve overlooked (Erin would say he’s a 90s artist thanks to the generational triumph that is Smooth). Glad I’ve come around to listen to this because it’s outstanding. Great guitar work obviously, but the work is a psychedelic Latin fusion that works so well. The extended jams are engaging and well performed. And that cover, so cool.
classic
EW
Not my style, but it was alright
Damn good album. Even if I’m not a huge Santana fan.
Good
it was nice i really enjoyed it i wouldn't say that it's a record with"hits" or particular highlights rather something that you listen from start to finish beautiful guitar good vibes
This album is perfection. I adore it. I'm thrilled when each track starts because I think it's my favorite when in reality the whole darn thing is my favorite.
Used to listen to this all the time. Honestly giving it my first 5 star of the project. Slaps, diverse, english, spanish, great guitars, great percussion. Black Magic Woman, Oye Como Va, Mother's Daughter, Hope you're Feeling Better.....I mean wow.
I really love Santana and the great Latin jazz vibes they bring in.
Enjoyable beyond the well know tracks but also not completely deserving of repeat listens.
It can be hard to overcome prejudices, and when I think of Santana, the first thing that comes to mind is that Matchbox 20 song. Because of this, plus his status as a Boomer God, Santana really started in a hole here. Damned if this wasn’t so much better than I ever expected. It is both surprisingly Out There, and Surprisingly Tasteful. Maybe he only became cruddy when he got his first ostentatious flame top PRS.
STANDOUTS: Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen, Oye como va, Mother's Daughter One of the most effortlessly cool albums ever made. This is the type of album you listen to on a tropical beach in the middle of the summer with no care in the world. No worries nor concerns, just pure smooth psychedelic bliss. I would also like to mention how well this album holds up after over half a century. I'm convinced Carlos Santana is actually a time traveler, because an album like this could be made in 2026 and still feel fresh and unique, let alone 1970. 8.5/10
Just a lot of fun, Oye Cómo Va being the standout
Vissa låtar är feta men albumet känns mer som en jam session utan någon klar bild
“oye como va” good song un álbum bien casual, pero no es algo que suela escuchar
So groovy. So chill. Santana rocks.
This album was excellent. I’ve heard Black Magic Woman a million times, but I’d never heard the instrumental lead-in before and now I want to hear that every time BMW comes on.
piola, guitarras
Very enjoyable
That's a good album. A couple of songs on 'greatest hits' compilations and a bunch of others that could also easily be too. I look forward to finding this on vinyl.
Un clásico
Großartig!
Guy plays guitar in most over elaborate way. Why use 1 note when you can use 6? Very mid.
The best kind of Jazz is not jazz at all; rather, it's the rock and metal bands inspired by it. Those artists who took the good parts (the instrumental smarts, looseness, mania), and abandoned the crap parts (trumpets). Santana's early work feels both loose and tight, jammed and rehearsed, and critically, they remembered that albums tend to have songs. This album has some good songs. Of course, without that South American style this would feel like just another rock band showing off. It's different for all us white boys sick of the same scales and tunes. It's a little bit witchy, a little magical.
I listened to this while reading some trashy vampire book and it reminded me that in one of the ‘Twilight’ movies, half the time is spent in South America. Mind you, a different country with a different language, but I still enjoyed the reminder. The songs were good as well, so that was a plus.
Solid album, and definitely a hidden gem. Not quite my thing, but I definitely appreciate having listened to it. Remarkably fun Latin rock with some sweet jazz thrown in. Doesn't overstay its welcome, each song has a unique vibe and some great guitar riffs. Would happily listen again.
Increíble.
Listened the whole album, I knew about the song "Black Magic Woman" before.I mean it's a classic lol but what a delight it was to listen it all! Very vibesy! One of my fav decades of music and I loved the Spanish lyrics! I'm not even talking about the cover of the album,,,,holy shit just pure art. I feel like a boomer saying this even though I do like modern music and techno a lot, but genuinely music had more soul back then...
Ganske ok guitarmusik, jeg kunne forestille mig en stor sværhedsgrad i at formidle det ud, men jeg som lægmand lytter ikke til sværhedsgrad, men derimod mit hjerte
This is a jazzy, latin album that is mostly instrumental. The guitar work is smooth and soaring and the tracks are definitely great to dance to and very fun to listen to.
2.5
Pretty nice stuff, but doesn't set me alight. Favourite tracks: Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen, Se a Cabo, El Nicoya. TOP TIP: Check out little-known Spanish band Alameda for similar vibes. I love them.
Great allbum
Some of these songs got so much airplay they just exist fully stored in my brain. I'm okay with this being on in the background but it isn't very interesting to be actively listening to. Nothing really wrong with it though, the guy doing the conga drums or whatever was really just going for it
Having a bad day, so grateful the generator gifted me something so life-affirming. Like many reviewers I only knew the singles, but they sound completely different in the context of the album. Definitely makes me want to listen to more of his stuff.
𝘈𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘹𝘢𝘴 makes it easy to hear why Carlos Santana is sometimes framed as a kind of “Mexican Hendrix” — his guitar tone is warm, fluid, and instantly expressive — though he never quite reaches the same explosive unpredictability. The album has its strengths, but for me it never fully comes together as a great record. 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗮 𝗣𝗮 𝗧𝗶 stands out as the clear highlight, a beautifully melodic piece that’s probably his most universally recognized work. The rest is solid, but not essential.
I really like the musical explorations they take on this album. I love a good jam band, and while Santana is not a jam band, there’s similarities in getting lost in the music. They are incredibly tight and focused and everyone is playing perfectly in groove with each other. They are truly at the top of their game. A great album for this list.
Santana is a master of the Latin groove and he delivers it very well on all of the tracks of this album. Then when you couple in his icy guitar licks, Abraxas is something to really listen to.
Smooth guitar licks fronting these classic rock tunes, memorably accompanied by the Latin rhythms of the congas and timbales. While the album veers too jazzy for my liking, the quality cannot be denied.
Recommendation for optimal listening: Edibles (hour prior of course). Bong hits work as well, but edibles are preferable for this application. You're looking for a nice body high. This is an evening listen, dimly lit room (vintage lava lamp if you're a super nerd). You want the vinyl, yes it makes a difference. Bonus if your copy has a little crackle at the very beginning when the needles hits. The crackle fades away as the music fades in. The volume needs to be up, fill the room but don't blast yourself out of the room. Settle and enjoy side one. You will melt into the couch and Santana's guitar will set your mind afloat. You won't remember there is a thing in the world called stress, hell if you did it right you won't even remember there is a world past the seat cushion to your left Now you will need to get up and flip the record. This is important if you want to listen to both sides, but don't rush, take a moment to digest the mood in the silence. When ready ease up off the couch (be careful, at our age injuries happen). Flip record, sip of water, return to couch. ya....that's it and you're welcome. Santana's sound is unique and his passion unmatched. I absolutely love this record, everything about it is beautiful.
Wow
Álbum incrível, com muita personalidade e uma identidade clara e única. As intervenções do Santana com a guitarra são super naturais e tão subtis que nem te dás conta que é o suposto protagonista. tudo muito bem integrado e com um groove latino que te convence sem muito esforço a balançar na cadeira. Certamente um álbum que revisitarei.
This was pretty good. Psychedelic is always fun when done right. Santana is a master and it's easy to tell. I do wish some of the tracks at the end were pushed to the front, but that's a stylistic choice. Highlights: Oye Como Va (ofc), Hope You're Feeling Better (!!!)
The first two songs absolutely blew me out of the water and I thought this would be a five star. But honestly, it slowly declined through the rest of this album. Nevertheless, some of the most insane guitar playing I have ever heard. I can also tell how Fleetwood was inspired by them. The sound makes a lot of sense.
I love Santana. Oye Como Va...one of those rare instances where a cover is vastly superior to the original. Incident at Neshabur is Steely Dan's favorite Santana song. I love the electric piano/organ. Samba Pa Ti is like West Coast Latin Allman Brothers, great song. Of course it's Steely Dan that autoplays after the album is over.
Some legendary tunes.
Had no idea what to expect, but it's such a vibe. Some instrumental, some vocal tracks. Feels like I could be in Miami in 1970 on a sunny day, walking on the streets, maybe going into a diner for a burger or to a mexican restaurant. Looking at cool cars, enjoying life. Kinda jazzy, great guitar parts, organ sometimes. Some enjoyable Latin beats/rhythms/instruments. Get surfy vibes sometimes and it's chill and fun. Nice first album from this site.
El album me llegó en un momento justo. Muy lindas percus, y tiene black magic woman que es un temon
Third one in a row that ive already listened to. Its decent, got me into Santana. 7/10 Favorite tracks: Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen and Oye Como Va
Heck yeah.
This is when Carlos Santana became a legend, in my book. Oye Como Va is timeless, as is Black Magic Woman, but the other tunes in this short album are quite enjoyable, as well.
Oye Como Va put a big smile on my face. Vibe and a halfffffffff
Nice chill little album, don't think I'd really go back to it but I appreciate it for what it is, it was pleasant. 7/10.
Love it
Bewb on cuver ( . Y . )
Rewatched the Big Lebowski this summer and my new favorite joke in it is when the Dude’s car gets trashed and they cut to them driving without a windshield eating burgers and listening to Oye Como Va.
This is such a unique album. Santana is a straight up American rock band. But the Latin roots and African rhythms are so heavy and influential here that they go way beyond American rock. Plus there's a Fleetwood Mac cover!? I'm still not a huge Santana fan but I really enjoyed this album. I'd highly recommend it.
Luv sum Santana. This albums fun with great Latin flare!
A very good album, especially given how heavily focused it is on instrumentals. Funky, smooth, guitar-heavy. In many ways a landmark.
Pretty good stuff
Latin music combined with rock and jazz. A really good album! Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen is a quintessential track!
Saved? ✅ Would listen again? ✅ Would recommend to anyone? ✅ Would buy on Vinyl? ✅
Good jazzy Latino tunes.
Groovy baby
Creative and unique
Makes me miss summer, good for kitchen chaos. Favorite song is oye como va.
Growing up is realizing your dad actually has killer music taste
this is such a vibe. so many crazy beautiful sounds
It's hard not to be taken by an album that sounds like the artists are having a blast being in their element. I was familiar with some of Santana's stuff thanks to my dad's introduction, and it was fun discovering more of his work. It's a beautifully chaotic jam that had me shifting between bopping along and simply admiring the talent and enthusiasm.
Opens strong but fizzles out. A bit jazzier than I like. Surprisingly short which I appreciate on this project. 3/5
Excellent album. Some classic tunes and just great musicianship overall.
black magic woman is such a banger thank u fleetwood mac
This was surprisingly cool fusion-y stuff. I was expecting it to be a little cheesy from what I knew of him, but I enjoyed.
Great, enjoyed listening
Loved the mix between jazz guitar , Latin style, and a reggae feel!
Proto-hårdrock. Gitarrerna låter Zeppelin. Men rytmsektionen låter gammaldags. En stark trea.
Es Santana. Guitarra copada con orígenes latinos, medio salsoso. Es único.
Not often that you have a guitar player that seems to almost speak to you through his playing. Quite a mystical power.
It's fine. Doesn't sound much different from many other guitar bands of the era. Personally I find they all start to sound the same
This Santana album ain’t bad at all, it’s got cool use of Latin influences sprinkled into it and the rock elements are pretty atypical for this list.
What a nice listening experience, just really great guitar work throughout that elevates this groovy experience. Also, it has such great influences from Latin music as well as jazz and rock. Santana has the stuff.
Not bad. I’m not a huge fan of long guitar solos but the drums make up for it
Better than I expected. Almost kind of jazzy, but acid jazz. Wouldn’t seek it out to play it, but would leave it on the background if it came on.
It was aight, but the title of the second track is kinda questionable.
Recognized a couple of songs and enjoyed most of the rest. Jam band isn't really my thing, no matter the country of origin.
Super cool! Mars volta is an all time fav of mine and I can see a lot of influences in this one. Awesome!
Good i fw the latin percussion and i fw u and i used to crack to black magic woman
carlos santana, disco de la canción "oye como va, mi ritmo, bueno pa gosar", movido, muy musical, sample de cancin del chojin y wyoming, hope you are feeling better, 4/5
The latin-rock mix worked incredibly well and very clean production throughout.
Watching the Bad Bunny halftime performance and then getting to this not too long afterwards. YO SOY LATINOOOOO MUHDERFUKERS!!!!! (9/10, 5/5 on this scale)
Landmark album from a time when Rory Gallagher and Horslips were celtic rock kings in Ireland. Prominent latin vibe in addition to rock influences.
I have a lot of opinions about this album and Carlos Santana and "Latin" music as a whole, but I will simply acknowledge the bliss of listening to Samba Pa Ti. I think that song will just always hit me like that one critic in Ratatouille.
1.Cool sans plus 2.Excellent 3.Rythme latin, fusion. Bon arrangement, rock-latin fusion. Très cool 4.Arrangements incroyable, très cool 5.mid 6.Vocal, très cool!! 7.Sympa un peu prog, 8. bien 9. ok Très sympa, album fusion latino-rock-jazzy 3.5+/5
the guitar playing was good but overall i felt a little underwhelmed by this
I’ve always like Oye Como Va, but I was never a fan of Santana’s guitar work. this album was better than I thought it’d be.
Acid drenched Latin grooves and face melting solos. This is so much better than the later stuff that was too awful for words. It does sometimes blend into one long track, but I have a sneaking suspicion that may be the point. It's like a gig on wax. Stick with early Santana, have a beer and a dance. Best Tracks: Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen; Oye Como Va; Samba Pa Ti
Guitar as protagonist. The organ. The bongos. Genre-bending. Shifts in pace and mood.
very new to me, love the vibe tho. overall good album
awesome!
Good psychedelic rock with a warm guitar tone and latin/mexican(?) undertones. Favorite track (and title): “Incident at Neshabur” 2.75/5
BANGER!
it was long and musical not much singing, it would be good if your into that
Utterly unlistenable. The guitar sounds like a dying whale. Fusion music is the worst. I wouldn't eat chicken and chocolate on the same dish, so why would I want to listen to a mixture of latin, jazz and dying whale rock guitar in the same song? Lock it all in a box and shoot it off into space. Torture some poor bloody aliens with this shit, not me!
It was a good groove for most of it. Some seemed a bit disjointed at the end.
Black Magic Woman einfach legendär und auch sonst ein sehr schöner Klang den dieses Album habt. Von mir gibt's vier Gitarren-Saiten :P
Oye Como Va
chilliger
Way better than I expected! I liked it and will definitely revisit it.
Я сижу в пабе, слава богу без телевизора с футболом. Играет этот альбом, вокруг из женщин только официантка бальзаковского возраста с автозагаром сильным настолько, что сливается с дубовыми стенами, покрытиями красной морилкой. Тусклый свет из китайского фонарика, непонятно к чему он, видимо подарок владельцу. Из посетителей только мужчины 45+, один из них прямо сейчас сидит неподалеку за той же барной стойкой, плачет и несвязно жалуется бармену на беспечную и любвеобильную ко всем кроме него жену. Пиво отстой.
Latin Jazz Rock and a bit of Psychedelia that shaped the future of Latin rock
black magic woman need i say more
Nothing I would really listen to on a daily basis, but it’s super vibey and the instrumentation is great.
Album 38 Top 3 favorites off the album: Oye Como Va, Se a Cabo, El Nicoya THE LICC SIGHTED IN THE FIELD Smooooooooooth. Even when it's moving, it's smooth. Loved the variety of instruments and blending of styles. Solid album.
great album
Bandet Santana, som jeg trodde utelukkende var navnet på en gitarist, men som snarere har fått navn etter gitaristen. Kanskje ikke så overraskende at dette er et sterkt gitar-preget album, da. Sjangeren latin rock. Det er leit å si det, men dette er musikk som (for meg) i stor grad går inn det ene øret og ut det andre, uten at det skjer noe verdt å nevne på veien gjennom valnøtta. Låtene som er nevnt i top 3 er likevel solide, og Se a Cabo hadde vært en skikkelig stilig låt med Fela Kuti-vokaler over. Fortjener en treer, men den er litt svak. Top 3: Hope You’re Feeling Better, Mother’s Daughter, Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen
All about the instrumentals on this album. Tasteful guitar riffs and truly excellent musicality. The Afro/Latin beats at the end were pretty epic.
Fun and funky fresh
Slick, vibes, love it
This is a good album, if you're in the right mood for it. Personally, I am always going to prefer an album with actual lyrics, no matter how good the instrumental is. I don't think I'll be listening to this one again, but it wasn't a bad experience. Three stars. (Favorite track: Black Magic Women / Gypsy Queen.)
Absolutely loved this.
I never knew Santana had so much latiny stuff. I liked it more than I expected.
Not something id listen to on a daily basos
I mean, fuck. This album is an entire journey. The guitar is of course iconic but the vocals, drums, and everything else is next level.
Great sound, lowkey wish it was entirely instrumental cause those tracks were definitely my favorites
Classic
Santana obviously belongs on an essential listening list. His blend of '60s psychedelia, early '70s heavy metal, and Latin jazz is one of the highlights of that era of music. Outside the two songs everyone recognizes, the rest of the album is not as memorable, though still very enjoyable. I bet some of those tracks are amazing live; the studio versions capture the general vibe, but not the dynamic of the performance.
Pretty solid
Absolutely wonderful concise album, very little filler on here and a lot of amazing tracks
для меня это новый опыт, до этого совершенно не слушал джазовую музыку (как я понял она ближе к этому жанру). в целом звучит стильно, вроде смог проникнуться и по моему мнению это очень хорошо, как для знакомства с этим жанром
Oye Como Va and the Guitar Hero song. A really cheesy English singing voice.
Less rock and more vibe than expected. I liked it
Loved the jazzy psychodelic feel from the start of the album, the accent on the atmosphere, the careful detaled sound mastering. And the beats! The winds were singing, the beasts were crying. Not to mention mad guitar solos (but that's the only thing I already knew about Santana before listening to the album). Great music for a fight with a nemesis in a very confusing sci-fi setting in the jungle which will somehow lead to dancing.
I like the variety and half the songs I liked. I enjoyed the mix in languages. And the mix in instruments used. It’s not really my genre but it was good I would give it a 3.5/5 stars I also love the album cover .
Soothing
Nice
Good not great.
A solid album. Black Magic Woman was my favorite on here. Santana is a guitar virtuoso.
From the cover I was expecting this to be a black/death metal album. Safe to say that I was pleasantly surprised
Really liked this.
Too bad this is the only Santana album here, latin goodness. Already have this rated at 4.5/5.0 on RYM, but not sure if this one reaches 5 stars for me, strong 4 for sure.
Este disco huele a sexo y vino tinto. Es un disco de madrugada, de confesiones y de recuerdos.
Santana's one of those bands that I never really paid much attention to, even though they've been on my radar since I was knee-high to a grasshopper, so listening to this one was a fresh experience for me. And I have to say I dig it. It's got a nice mix of jazz, blues, and soul going on, all with a touch of Latin rock thrown in and some really nice guitar. Not quite enough for me to go the full five, but definitely a good solid four.
Signing Winds, Crying Beast 3/5 Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen 4/5 Oye Como Va 5/5 Incident at Neshabut 3/5 Se a Cabo 4/5 Samba Pa Ti 3/5 Hope You're Feeling Better 4/5 El Nicoya 3/5 Overall Album 3.63
Absolutely essential. My first exposure to Santana, containing bath the big hits and Samba Pa Ti.
Ba o fost ok merge
I’ve always had a fondness for Santana I’ve also always loved bands that have mass appeal. This album isn’t perfect but it’s better than The Black Album.
Sounds like the soundtrack to the 70s. Trippy, tight guitar, that vibe that says let your mind expand and just see what happens. I was really only familiar with the hits on this one, but the whole album to me was a great and very enjoyable listen. Glad it came up in my rotation today! Solid four stars for me.
5/5
Insane album, absolute classic
This one took me by surprise! Did not have high expectation but ended up enjoying a bunch of the songs on the album.