Reviews (page 6 of 15)
This album is badass for background music.
Amazing album. Truly a must-listen for every music fan. While 'Oye Como Va' and 'Samba Pa Ti' are great songs by themselves, this album takes you on a journey to really explore these amazing tracks to their full potential. It's not just the amazing strumming of the legendary Carlos Santana but the performance by the rest of the band members take make this LP as interesting as it is. The only reason this album is 4 stars instead of 5 for me is because I like the single version of 'Black Magic Woman' better than the album version. 4.5/5 stars
Loved it, best recommendation of the list so far. I guess also I had never really listened to Santana before, of course I knew their name and the general vibe but I honestly didn’t know that tracks like Oye Como Va are Santana songs. Love the Latin psychedelic vibe, right up my alley
Santana was truly skilled. This album was heavily instrument focused. Great to put on in the background.
4/5
I listen to this classic album at least once a month. If you like guitar rock, you're probably already a fan of this one. The original Santana band, featuring Carlos Santana, of course, and Gregg Rolie, released four albums. All of them are perfect in their own way. Caravanserai, the fourth, is a personal favorite, but Abraxas is the one most universally regarded as Santana's masterpiece. The 2008 MOFI One Step tops many lists of best vinyl releases of all time. Even though I am very familiar with this album, I listened three times yesterday, on vinyl, streamed, and high quality files through headphones. No matter how you listen, this record holds up as potentially the best Latin/electric blues fusion album of all time, beautiful passages leading into blistering guitar and organ solos, the entire band playing off of one another. I am looking forward to reading the negative OAD reviews of Abraxas because I simply can't find a single thing wrong with it. Five stars.
I recognise musicians (guitarists in particular) rave about Santana, but not for me I’m afraid
Te bebes la guitarra, día soleado de noviembre en Madrid, limpiando la casa, una maravilla
Excellent.
mmmmh Santana - es una legende muy grandeeeee. Y me gusta la musica mucha. Muy funky, absolutemente nice y fun fun fun. Estos son quattro formaggi (Ich glaub de typ redet gar kei spanisch)
De Albumname und das Cove rhänd bi mir Erinnerige geweckt, ich kenn das, aber weiss nöd vo wo und wieso. nach 0.75 mal durelose isch mir es Liecht ufgange. ich glaub 2015ish in Amsterdam, i eim vo de CoffeeShops, de heisst per Zuefall au na grad Abraxas, hani eise vo dene 'psycadelic guitar riffs' track s erstmal ghört (isch au es Musikgenre woni dazumals nöd würki kennt ha) und lässig gfunde und s Musiksuech app Nummero uno ufdah (also Shazam) und mir heds das einte Abraxas Lied ahzeigt. has geil gfunde & vlt na 3 mal glosst aber denn bis zum letste Fritig i mim ghirni verstaubt, und denn die Erinnerige zruggcho. Vlt au biz e spezialität vum Albumclub, mir denkt a Sache zrugg wo irgendwie verstaubt sind. S Album isch gut bis recht guet, das heisst 3 oder 4 chröte? i do not know. Am fritig bini uf 4 gsi, hüt morge heds mi aber biz nervös dunkt
My dad loved this. I think it’s ok. Carlos Santana is a masterful guitar player. 3.5 stars
Percussion panning - left/right Pretty good
Let me add another Hell Yeah! Such a brilliant album. Everything's here, Santana's guitar that would dominate any other band is somehow just another genius sound on on this album.
Wow! This is music! I think I’m a Santana fan now.
This album was fucking yummy. I love Santa and I think he's got such a great feel
What a treat after yesterdays album (69 love songs, really did not like it). Not sure if im giving a 5 for the juxtaposition, or if it really is just that good. Pretty sure Abraxas was just that good. Latin music mixed with psychedelic rock? Hell yeah brother. Album art might be one of my new favorites. Trippy af! 9/10
The vibes on this album are world class. I am a huge fan of Santana's ability to blend together Latin influences, rock and blues. The playing on this is super well done and the album as a whole comes together perfectly. The only criticism I can come out with is that I wish it was longer.
As someone who grew up idolizing hippies and 60s psychedelic music and having watched the Woodstock documentary dozens of times, I'm embarrassed to say I've never listened to this album or really any Santana beyond the hits. For some reason, Santana just didn't resonate with me back then. That said, I have heard several of the songs on here. This album is a great Latin, jazz, blues fusion. The Latin percussion is infectious and makes you want to move and the guitar playing is obviously next level. I really enjoyed this one and clearly missed out not listening to more Santana in the past.
So much good stuff on this album, Santana was truly ahead of his time with his guitar tone, the musicality... There were a lot of times earlier in my life when I was like, "Santana, what's the big deal?" And then I listened to this album
Always an enjoyable listen.
I was too harsh on it the first time I listened but still just don’t low this type of rock that much
Idk it was good
Got better as the album progressed,but still just background noise for me.
Viktig gitarist, kjedelig musikk.
4.5/5 GODDDDD i love santana
4 out of 5 Great singles, santana rocks
Easy to listen to late 60s rock with that infectious guitar of Santana mixed with Latin influence.
I appreciate the talent, but I've just never gotten into any of Santana's music at all.
Bored and couldnt wait for it to finish - can see why some people like it tho
Part rock, part jazz, part salsa. Groovy, smooth, funky, rocking. Is there anything this album doesn't do? I guess the vocals are nothing to write home about? But don't mind that, let Santana sing to you with his guitar. It's a pity Santana's most popular tracks are from when he did the pop crossover album in the 90s. I mean good for him to keep himself relevant and to create something a little more geared toward the masses, but that stuff is nothing compared to this.
Great guitar. Interesting collection of instruments. Funky tunes. I liked it
Great album, good to revisit. Hope you’re feeling better is one of my fave Santana songs off the beaten path & mothers daughter.
Just long enough to not be too long. Arguably flawless if this is your jam, just not compelling enough to listen on repeat
Never been my thing
The perfect antidote to T Swizzle. This is Latin-infused rock at some of its finest
I’m not sure that this is my favorite of the classic Santana records but it’s probably objectively the best. They really nail the Latin jazz pop rock mix, to perfection. Santana would go hard in all of those directions later, but never struck the balance so sweetly before or after. There isn’t an ounce of flab here among the lengthy jams and instrumentals. Black Magic Woman>Gypsy Queen>Oye Como Va>Incident at Neshabur is an album run of greatness I’d put up against anything from the era
Pleasant and fun. ★★★
The beginning of this record has an amazing rainy day vibe. It's moody. I like it. I really enjoy Santana’s playing. He has his own signature style but it isn’t flashy, it’s musical and melodic. This band is tight. REALLY tight. Good lord. “Se a Cabo” is excellent. "Mother's Daughter" is incredible! Especially that transition between them. Those first few tracks I was thinking this was a three to a four, then "Se a Cabo" pushed it to a four, then that transition - 5. "Hope You're Feeling Better" just puts it over the top. What a build up this record has! Whatever Carlos was paying his percussionists it wasn't enough. These guys are killing it. This was a big surprise to me. FIVE STARS
Definitely had an image of Santana coming into this, which was just ‘Smooth’ but as I start listening to the album, can really appreciate more of the nuance, layers and skill in these songs. Yeh, really digging this. Much more prog rock / world music than pop charts. Glad to get a better sense of him as an artist. Enjoy the occasional use of vocals as an instrument, rather than constant presence.
Beautiful. Blows my mind this came out in 1970 lol and he’s still performing.
I'm a guitarist like Santana, in the same way that a child painting shapes with a potato is an artist like Michelangelo. He is just ridiculously good. It's in the second half of this album that this really comes to the fore, and elevates it from a fun but not too memorable record into something quite brilliant. The second half alone is a clear and strong five star, the whole thing falls just a touch short, but is still very enjoyable.
the album art is a 10 for me overall tolerable, i've never been into prolonged instrumentals and this project is making me realize anything "psychedelic" is not for me. recognized several songs just from existing in the world, but not a single song i'd actively choose to play. "samba pa ti" was a high point
Another album I was really expecting to not enjoy nearly as much. Immediately. I was blown away by the elements of jazz fusion that were on this record. Some of the songs were honestly just so well crafted. "Black magic woman", bar the slur in the alternative title, is a phenomenal song. The vocals while they are very sparse serve each track so well. It's funny. I started listening to the intro and I wasn't the biggest fan of how it was sounding and I legit thought I was going to hate the rest of the album but as soon as that track ended you just go right into this upbeat very high energy list of instrumentals. Santana's guitar playing is honestly off the charts and the fact that his band is able to absolutely not only follow his lead very well but also paved the way for his guitar to almost serve as lead vocals. The voicing in his technique is so strong that I can't fathom it. The fact that guitars can wail this hard over top hand drums to give it this incredible psychedelic Latin texture is remarkable for the time and honestly kind of revolutionary. Chicano rock might end up being something that I check out more because of this album and I'm definitely curious to know the rest of his discography. I definitely can see myself listening to this album again in full. Me being stubborn, I don't want to put this at 5 out of 5 Stars but I might have to eventually depending on the rest of this list.
Great style, I can appreciate the long guitar solos
Short and well written. Allot of latin influenses well blended with Rock. I'm a bit biased because i play a bit of guitar and think Santana is a great guitarist.
Great album
I can't believe this album was rom 1970. It sounds as applicable today as ever. True art is timeless, and this falls into that category.
Different, don’t think I’ve listened to a full album like this. Very enjoyable
Never been a fan of almost purely instrumental albums. Comparable to turning up at Wimbledon buzzing for a portion of strawberries and cream just to find they’ve only given you one strawberry in your cream and charged you £9.50. Big let down.
Pretty fun background music
Felt like I was put on hold for 37 minutes
It simply doesn’t get much better than a mixture of jazz and rock. Every song made it to my liked playlist (besides the last one which was aight).
Just great. Such a cool album. Really caught my Latin mood today. Haven’t heard it for years but gets a big yes from me.
A very different sound to this album compared to a lot of popular music but really interesting and very smooth guitar playing 7/10
Very mood dependant, between a 3 and a 4
Every song I know from Santana is basically on this album, except “Smooth”. (Man, Rob Thomas looks like such dork white boy in that video). This kind of guitar-jam, electric organ sound is not really my speed, but it’s a classic of its kind.
Outstanding
Okay
4/5
Samba Pa Ti takes you places
(83/100)
Would listen again. Good background music without being too innocuous, and enjoyable when you tune in.
Solid
Not sure why it’s taken me this long to actually listen to this album all the way through. Some fabulous cuts, even besides the two most popular and legendary songs
Enjoyable soulfoul music. Focused on guitar, but there is more to it than that.
Masterclass is guitar, Really fun Album
Great musicianship but got bored…
So cool, so chill, so hypnotic. These guys are so great.
Good. Probably worth another listen
Great guitars, cool atmosphere. Incident at Neshabur is transcendental. I might have to smoke a blunt and give this another go. 6/10
Classic
First track was a real snooze. Black Magic Woman is the hit here I guess, but it’s pretty noodley. Oye Como Va has a good groove but gets repetitive quick. Incident at Neshabur is actually cool, is this a jazz album? Mother’s Daughter is sort of typical 70s fare. Samba Pa Ti has such potential but the guitar and organ tone is grating. This is fine with a few enjoyable moments but overall just isn’t my thing.
Good song list! Loved the sounds of the first track vis a vis the title of the track. Might not flock back to this one but there was a lot I enjoyed and little that I disliked.
Yeah I'm not really feeling this one for some reason.
Well-deserved addition to this list!
What a grand band. This was crafted like a live set but produced beautifully in the studio. I will return and listen to more Santana. Great album!
Santana has some great songs and is a cultural staple...I've never met a Santana fan in my life. Not a statement about this album. Merely an observation. I actually really enjoyed sections of this. I used it as cleaning music. It worked pretty well for that purpose.
Overall I enjoyed, but there was nothing extremely memorable about the album itself, the cover art is beautiful though!
A smooth easy, motivational listen
Very enjoyable largely instrumental album. Santana is a maestro on the guitar and these compositions are a blast to listen to.
While I didn't have much in the way of expectations for this, I didn't expect to like it. Although I also described it to someone else as "enjoyable background music," so maybe that's not terribly positive. But the chill vibes do settle into a comfortable place, and Santana's playing never feels wanky. It matches the song, and I appreciate his restraint when he could undoubtedly shred. An unexpected pleasure.
Generally I'm highly suspect of bands named after the guitar player (or anyone besides the singer) unless you're Van Halen which gets a pass because: 1) Eddie Van Halen is basically the greatest guitar player ever; 2) 1/2 of the band had the last name Van Halen; and 3) it's just a sick name for a band. So I've never been really been sure what to do with the Santanas of the world and I of course lived through the Supernatural era and indeed worked in a record store in 1999-2000 where that was the only consistent seller that year besides Enimem's second album, and it was weird how much Rob Thomas was involved with that. Anyway, this was absolutely great and I need to relax and go with the Santana flow.
The free flow of the songs is truly genius. The closest to Latin Jazz? Not sure about that but the musicians playing off each other is a trademark of Santana and a must listen to anyone who says they listen to all types of music.
26/1001 First listen. It’s got The Doors sound right off the hop. I’ve heard Black magic woman and Oyo como va countless times of course . Samba pa ti was the stand out for me. 5/10
A landmark for a near perfect fusion blending Latin jazz, psychedelic, blues, and polyrhythmic rock seamlessly. I love how some songs slow down the energy bringing a smoother, ballad like atmospheric feel that contrasts beautifully with the energetic fiery instrumental sections. The polyrhythms give it a slight progressive feel, which I really love. The guitar work and overall instrumentation are wonderful, they showcase great use of dynamic range and precision throughout the album. I love how the Latin percussion like the congas, timbales, bongos add depth and culture to the sound, while Santana’s guitar flows freely through it all. The addition of the organ and piano tie everything together. As a whole creating a sound that feels spiritual and bursting with energy. Overall, the fact that I enjoyed a 40 minute of an almost fully instrumental album speaks for itself! This album has the perfect balance between groove and melody. The artwork fits the music perfectly too, abstract, vibrant, full of motion, pieces all over the place just like the songs themselves. I already knew Black Magic Women/Gypsy Queen, however I really enjoyed Singing Winds, Crying Beasts, Oye Como Va, Incident at Neshabur, Se a Cabo, Mother's Daughter and Hope you're Feeling Better.
groove. guitar. cool.
81/100.
A veritable mixed bag of a record. Some great stuff - mostly for me the heavier stuff on the second half like Mother’s Daughter and Hope You’re Feeling Better, but also some cheesy bits and a lot where it’s too smooth for its own good. Definitely stuff to revisit though
Amazing album, I was grooving the whole way through. I seriously need to listen to more Santana
Meh. Good musicians. Too much noodling.
Santana's "Abraxas" is a classic album that I regrettably overlooked for years, my loss entirely! This album is superbly written, arranged, and performed, featuring an excellent mix that marries Latin rhythms with Rock and Jazz. The guitar work and overall instrumentation are wonderful, showcasing a superb use of dynamics throughout. This dynamic range is crucial, especially given that five of the nine tracks are instrumentals, yet the album maintains excellent melodies and a cohesive flow. A near-perfect blend of rock, blues, and Latin jazz. A wonderful listen (5/5). Side one 1 "Singing Winds, Crying Beasts" (Instrumental) (4/5) 2 "Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen" (5/5) 3 "Oye Cómo Va" (5/5) 4 "Incident at Neshabur" (Instrumental) (5/5) Side two 1 "Se a Cabó" (Instrumental) (4/5) 2 "Mother's Daughter" (5/5) 3 "Samba Pa Ti" (Instrumental) (5/5) 4 "Hope You're Feeling Better" (5/5) 5 "El Nicoya" (Instrumental) (5/5) Total - 42 Average - 4.67 154/1001 84/154 albums reviewed were new to me.
Black Magic Woman is a song that is so seared into my brain from childhood that I couldn't NOT enjoy this album. Obsessed with how all the songs lead into one another. Obsessed with the horns and the piano and everything. Sexy, smooth, just extremely wonderful overall!
Latin Rock with Jazz Fusion influence. Really big Jazz and Blues influence. It’s incredibly good. I like it. I enjoy it. Feeling like I’m in Mexico or Colombia right now. Listened to it almost twice. Solid 3/5 —————————————— Liked: — Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen — Oye Como Va
Pretty good, not as good as what I originally thought. However a nice mix of latin rock, psychedelic tendencies, jazz fusion and blues. Will listen again. low 3.5
Loved this album. It was so smooth and interesting
Loved it.
Classic and still quite an ass kicker
Više je neoporecivo vješto odsvirano nego što je nešto naročito prijatno za slušati, nije bilo potrebe da iko ovoliko cijedi gitaru ali eto.
At least 2 are pretty good; as for the rest: at least its pretty short
Great dinner party music
【一句話（中文）】 《Abraxas》（1970）超前到離譜—放到今天聽依然合拍、好聽；一想到它是 1970 年發行，真的被震撼到。 【這是什麼類型（中文）】 類型：拉丁搖滾（Latin Rock）× 藍調／迷幻色彩（Blues/Psychedelic），帶強烈打擊與循環感的節奏。 預期：大量康加鼓、丁巴列、搖鈴等拉丁打擊，律動先行、可長時間 groove，電吉他與鍵盤做層次。 不是：電子舞曲或四拍落地的 house／EDM（節奏像舞曲，但是真人樂手與類比音色）。 建議試聽：〈Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen〉、〈Oye Como Va〉、〈Samba Pa Ti〉。 【One-liner (EN)】 “Abraxas” (1970) feels shockingly ahead of its time—still stylish and highly listenable today; considering the release year, it’s genuinely mind-blowing. 【What it is (EN)】 Style: Latin rock with blues/psychedelic hues, built on hand percussion and cyclical, dance-leaning grooves. Expect: congas, timbales, shakers driving the rhythm; guitar/keys layering on top—live band energy, not electronic beats. Not: house/EDM or strict four-on-the-floor; it only *feels* club-friendly because of the relentless groove. Starter cuts: “Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen,” “Oye Como Va,” “Samba Pa Ti.”
So good
Santana delivers a classic album with screaming guitars and timeless vocals
Iconic guitar sound and playing. 3 classic tracks and I enjoyed the rest (even the instrumentals!).
Solid album that I could listen fully any day. Didn’t know that some songs were that old.
Background restaurant music at best. Like a particularly aggressive form of food poisoning I would not wish this on anybody. Trendy music with absolutely no bite to it at all.
Überraschend unterhaltsam. Das hat Spaß gemacht an einem ruhigen Samstagmorgen.
Handwerklich sicherlich alles gut und so, aber das gibt mir insgesamt echt sehr wenig.
Ist schon ein one trick pony, aber die Songs machen Spaß. Mir fehlt aber ein Banger in Richtung "Soul Sacrifice" vom Debüt.
Haut mich als Album nicht um. Ist eine schöne Sammlung einzelner Stücke, aber als Album funktioniert es für mich nicht im Kontext dieses Anspruchs.
Nie auf Länge ein Album gehört. Hat sich nicht vollends qualifiziert dies nochmal aus eigenen Stücken nachzuholen, aber irgendwie ist der Sound doch ein Stück weit im Ohr geblieben.
Grundsolide Gitarrenmusik
Cooles Album, nicht zu 100% meins, aber die Qualität kann man nicht absprechen.
Das ist ein Meisterwerk. Punkt.
Cover alone is a 5.
Samba Pa Ti
Lovely record. Carlos Santana is one of my favorites guitarists, and the percussion on this album is fantastic.
Groovy, funky, upbeat/energetic, cool. Very enjoyable.
*Great mix of jazz, rock, and other influences *The guitar work is top notch
A fantastic display of Latin music and atmospheric rock
3.5
This was cool, what a great vibe
I really like this album. Bluesy proggy rock but with a Latin twist. Great cover of Black Magic Woman and I really like Oye Como Va and Samba Pa Ti.
Dope
It opens like a jazz ensemble warming up and then seamlessly merges into the monster hit, "Black Magic Woman", which has always, I guess, been a jam song and THAT song crashes into Gypsy Queen and I want to be at the Hayden Planeterium for the Abraxas Experience. It does get a bit samey-same after a while but just as I wrote this, the vocals on Mother's Daughter came in to save us. To be honest, the Santana-penned tunes are the least interesting.
eh, its okay
- ikinä en oo santanaa kuunnellu, kiva päästä kuunteleen! - ja heti pääsee pyörtämään sanansa, en välttämättä ole kuunnellut santanaa mutta olen kuullut santanaa (oye como va = bängeri) - on hyvää kikkailua, kitaralla ja muillakin soittimilla - hope u feeling better kuulostaa ihan heviklassikkolta - iha hyvä albumi voisin kuunnella uudestaanki
Album No. 0044 on my list. "Abraxas" by Santana was an interesting listen. I indeed knew some of the songs of the album before. "Black Magic Woman" is a timeless classic and my favorite track of "Abraxas". "Samba Pa Ti" - known before as well, but still not a big fan. In general, the whole album is very cool and groovy, but sometimes the songs lack some dynamic. Yet, there is some excellent guitar work on this (even better for example than on "Layla" by Derek and the Dominoes, which I recently reviewed). Beyond "Black Magic Woman", "Incident at Nashabur", and "Hope You're Feeling Better" were my favorites. 4/5 stars!
Great guitar work, strong songwriting, and catchy melodies.
An instrumental experience of the fusion between club jazz, bossa nova, and hard rock guitar. The occasional lyrical section is more of an additional instrument to add to the melody of it all. This is music to smoke and think to.
Santana has never worked for me. I usually love Latin music, but this mix of Latin beats with rock washes all of the energy and passion out of the beats for me. The Samba song was ok.
5 - MEDIUM
Perhaps most well known for Smooth, which is a song that people who actually lived through the '90s seem to hate: Santana is a guitar God, and Abraxas erases any doubt of that. Here, we have a particularly exciting fusion of Latin rock and jazzy psychedelia. I'm honestly most into the more abstract cuts here: Singing Winds/Crying Beasts, Incident At Neshabur, Se A Cabo, Black Magic Woman, and to an extent, Mother's Daughter. These songs all showcase Santana's ingenius, atmospheric and tastefully restrained guitar playing. I would also like to make note of the spectacular percussion across these songs, which I think is consistently underrated. Of these songs, the atmosphere on Singing Winds... is incredible and kicks things of right. Black Magic Woman is an inspired cover of a Fleetwood Mac song, and Santana really emphasizes the spacey, mystical qualities of the original composition. Incident... is the album's jazziest moment, and Se A Cabo may be the single best rhythm performance on the whole album, sounding precise and dizzying. In a very different way, I also love Oye Como Va, which is an incredibly fun song, it makes me want to get up and groove. Out of what's left, El Nicoya is brief, but very good. And I like Samba Pa Ti, and Hope You're Feeling Better, but I've not decided how much I like them compared to the rest of the album. That being said, the whole package here is awesome, this is some incredibly unique rock from a very talented group of musicians. Also, the album art here is among the best, *ever*, just take it all in, holy shit.
Pretty music, all elegant and well played, but feels like something is missing. Seems to me it would benefit from more excitement, more passion, more life. It fails to really pull me in.
To echo someone else in the comments, I saw this and groaned expecting wanky traditional rock riffs, and while there was an element of that, it was beautifully balanced with some weeping guitars. There was a lovely mix of different forms of percussions instruments and the latin influence. Samba Pa Ti was my standout track. I actually really enjoyed listening to that. It did not make me want to go and find ore or want to listen to it again, but what it did do is change my perception of Santana. For that reason it is getting high 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars
This is an astonished rich piece of work, combining latin rhythms with blisteringly good rock lead guitar. I was amazed to discover today that Carlos Santana was only 22 when this was recorded. The highlight for me is a cheeky cover of Oye Como Va by the legendary Tito Puente. The only thing that drags this down is the horribly sexist origin of the album title and the associated artwork on the cover.
7/10
Gostei
Pleasant album. The vocals sounded a bit odd to me, but generally I really liked the instrumentation.
Instrumental guitar music is rarely for me, and this is no exception. The vocal-led tracks are great and I enjoy some of the noodling, but it’s not one I would return to.
Carlos! c
I didn’t know much about Santana before this listen (he started in San Francisco - I didn’t know!). To my surprise, this album made me feel a bit of his experience. While I’ve heard his music many times - who hasn’t? - but giving this album a full intentional listen was different. He took a pretty bold and unforgettable approach - fusing genres and sounds with some pretty effortless swagger. And the amount of instrumentation alone is incredible: stellar percussion (those chimes), layered keyboard and piano, epic drumming, confident guitar and bass, and some magical cowbells too (for flavor). It must have felt electric to live thought that era - the music capturing a sense of trippy, jazzy, universal energy that’s utterly unique. This record is a reminder that some musical moments can never be repeated.
My parents had this record on vinyl and as a kid I listened to it when I was like 11 years old. Why? Well, because the cover art had a beautiful dark-skinned lady on the cover with her titties out and some crazy tattooed red faerie chick con tetas afuera también with a conga jammed into her choncha dropping some magic psychedelic blessings all over the place. That's why. I remember being frustrated by the white dove placement even then. What I naturally didn't know at the time was that this was such an important album. Huge props to these guys for forging a path ahead bringing in the acid-drenched psychedelic rock of the 60s and melding it with Latin sounds. "Black Magic Woman" is obviously a standout here. But, did you know? It also had a really shitty straight-to-video erotic thriller starring Mark Hammill named after it. It's a little on the nose that this song featured pretty prominently in the soundtrack for this craptastic film. Thanks, 1991 Cinemax. Otherwise, it's a pretty solid track, even if originally penned by the Shittiest Band Whose Name Will Not Even Be Uttered Here. There are covers that eclipse the original, and I will plant my funky flag by Santana's rendition as the standard because again, fuck Fleetwood Mac forever. "Oye Como Va" of course also is another classic, and not just because of it being an integral part of lowrider culture, but that doesn't hurt either. Shit is funky. The whole thing sounds like we're peering through the gaps in a fence, gazing at a colorful and ecstatic Santería ritual on a very humid day. The song structures swell and quiet down with authentic and well-rehearsed collaboration between a very capable band. They are bringing a lot of different influences and styles to bear and throwing them into one big steamy spiritual pot of soup. Even though this kinda stuff isn't totally my bag, I think this recipe really works, primarily due to the complex songwriting and overwhelming virtuosity of the players. These are pretty heavy cats. I can see why this record was included in this book. IT was no fucking doubt flipping people's wigs back when it first dropped. Regarding the cover art: see the first paragraph. But also, from a fundamental design POV, we cannot read the type, at all. The artist and title are swallowed completely by the trippy ass painting of fantastical realms where you can take your shirt off freely. But that's actually fine, it seems like it is really supposed to be that way. I mean, you know it's Santana's "Abraxas" simply by the mystical titties and such all over it. What more do you need?
High points were oye como va and black magic woman but that's due in part to nostalgia. When listening to the rest of the songs on the album I flipped from enjoyment to restlessness. I couldn't find myself matching the pace of a few of the songs and it did dampen the listening experience. Probably won't revisit- not my favorite Santana work
No one sounds like Santana. I always think of his story at Woodstock, where he hallucinated the headstock of his guitar as a snake which he had to fight off. This actually reflects his playing style pretty well-- it's like a wild animal he is constantly trying to tame and control, and sometimes the guitar bites and screams before he can bring it back. This album is perhaps their best as a full band concept too, a sweeping epic of Latin soundscapes, from the gentle opening of "Singing Winds, Crying Beasts", to the bluesy twists of "Black Magic Woman", to the danceable grooves of "Oye Como Va", to the anger and grit of "Se a Cabo", to the melodic masterpiece "Samba Pa Ti". I don't think any track is skippable here. It's one of my favorite albums alongside their debut, which is arguably even better.
First take by this album cover. No thank you. Now I’ll listen a bit. Nah, thought it would be worse but still wasn’t a fan at all
Not for me
Bravo Carlos
Very pleasant to listen to, but the bar has been set high in the past couple of days when it comes to Latin albums.. Tracks with heavier Jazz influence like Incident at Neshabur were very cool. The classic Santana sound of a guitar mimicking vocals on the staple tracks like Oye Como Va and Samba Pa Ti was still a delight to listen to as well.
Enjoyable jams with unique latin twists and guitar wails
Absolute vibes and vibing
A masterful mix of genres that doesnt sound forced or a hokey mashup. And the genres stamd on their own but blend so well. Beautiful.
Mais um que não sei se entendi
Some great rhythms, and nice guitar work. But cannot be forgiven for murdering Black Magic Woman.
I blasted ""Oye Cómo Va" at a MAGA crowd protesting illegal immigrants in Jupiter, FL in 2016. I figured they'd love that track despite their hatred of Hispanic people.
Cool album, curachas and guitar galore!!
I used to like it as a teen, but as an adult I find the demonic undertones distasteful
Enjoyed this, vibey
Very Latin, Very Californian. Was interesting to hear the original version of a lot of these songs and how Santana changes them even if marginally. Loved the big 3 or 4 and what a fantastic opener. I think the weaker spots are when the album goes a more generic hard rock route on tracks like Hope You’re feeling better but even then still commendable.
Psychedelic rock. Latin roots. Easy listening. Artistic.
Such an amazing guitar player.
Some good tunes on here
Already knew Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va. Lots of funky guitar solos.
5 stars, just because there aren't 6.
Guitar pr0n
I found it difficult to separate this record from teenage memories, namely, a feeling of ironic kitsch a la 70s songs on Tarantino soundtracks. I feel confident in presuming that a great deal of the band was high all through these sessions, particularly the vocalist, with his lazy yawning intonations and long-hanging sibilants. My choir director would throw me out of the room for that shit. Be that as it may, it’s a classic sound and a good 30 years before Santana collaborated with Rob Thomas.
A cool blend of songs that are timeless and songs that are very rooted in the late 60s/early 70s. I liked it a lot more than I thought I would.
If an album could be described as delicious, this would be it
An enjoyable album that feels a bit musically repetitive at times, probably by design, which is cool but also made parts of the album a bit redundant as I was listening to each time. I went with "Se a Cabo" and "Mother's Daughter" for the playlist. Thought the two tracks capture the general vibes of the whole album well.
From the first track to the last, this album did a great job of setting and maintaining a distinct atmosphere. I don't think it was something I'll be putting in heavy rotation, but I can't quite place what it is. The vibe of the album definitely has something to do with it, though. It felt like a dark fusion of Latin grooves, psychedelia, and some really solid rock. I've never been too keen on the singles from this album, but this is an album that is meant to be listened to front to back. The instrumental tracks, particularly the opener, were excellent. I have always heard Santana referenced in terms of the guitar, and Carlos Santana clearly knows what he's doing with the instrument. However, I thought the drumwork was most distinctive on this album, and is probably the reason I would come back to it. There was a lot of very intricate hand drum rhythms, and it felt like drum "riffs" rather than guitar riffs were the driving force behind a lot of the songs. Ultimately, I don't think this is the best album for me, but there's a lot to like here.
Tasteful playing with soul and energy to spare. Glad this album made it instead of Supernatural. Solid choice.
Chill 3.5
OK
105/1001 :: Santana - Abraxas Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ➖ Rating: 6 Listen before you die: Yes Fav Songs: Black Magic Woman, Oye Como Va Couple things surprised me about this record. 1st was how many songs I knew having never heard the whole thing. 2nd was how enjoyable it was. In fact, now Oye Como Va has been stuck in my head all day. Latin Soul infused with psychedelic rock by a guitar virtuoso can be cool at times. That said, this album (as I expected) was a little too jammy for me. It was a total vibe and I could see why people would love this but other than a song or 2 this is not something I would normally spend my time with and that didn’t change after a hearty listen.
I inherited this album from my eldest brother. Quite why he had it I don’t know because he was heavily into traditional jazz and classical music. He’s no longer with us so it will always remain a mystery. With all the love in the world to my brother it was never a record I truly cherished. There is one caveat to this. The guitar so.o at the end of Black Magic Women is absolutely sublime and worth the admission money on its own. A solo I never tire of and which highlights what an exceptional and talented guitarist Carlos was. Also in fairness having listened to it today I can hear a lot which I previously ignored so well worth putting on my permanent rotation. 4/5 11/10/25
Some high quality guitar work in evidence here, with Black Magic Woman being the only song I was familiar with An interesting snapshot of 1970's guitar sounds Not my bag at all, but great for a one-time listen
Immersive and psychedelic. I love the fusion of jazz and blues in this, and how Pop is incorporated to keep it fresh and snappy.
I’ve heard Santa playing most of my life. I’ve always liked what I heard, but for whatever reason I have yet to sit down and really explore their music. I’d long associated Santana’s music as a mix of Latin and rock, which it is. What I didn’t realize is how psychedelic the band can be. Another thing that I have appreciated about Santana, although perhaps not enough, was his brilliant guitar work. There are some absolutely masterful riffs sprinkled throughout these tunes. It is hard to believe that it took me 55 years to get here, but I will absolutely be taking a deeper dive into Santana’s discography.
Guitar work was tasteful and impressive and I was blown away by the percussion section. It felt like a jazz album of rock with a Latin feel.
Cool af
Favorite Songs: Black Magic Women, Oye Como Va This was a quick album, a nice background album to listen too. Kinda crazy it’s from 1970.
Great listen.
Smooth, soulful Spanish guitar with beautiful lyrics.
I'm a sucker for some good guitar. Carlos delivers good guitar. 4
бля я хорошо кайфанул
Good album. Way more piano than I expected, but overall very enjoyable.
Before: I've heard the name Carlos Santana a ton, but I think the only song I'm really familiar with is black magic woman. After: Wow! Two amazing days in a row. This album is so incredibly smooth. This is the perfect mix of rock, jazz, and Latin music to me.
I love the variety in sounds in this record. The psych rock, the latin sound, and jazz. They're all kind of fused together in a really amazing way which is something I appreciate so much in music. I thoroughly enjoyed this record. Every musician killed it. The organ playing, the guitar playing, the piano playing, all interweaved. I loved the bongos throughout it all. I loved the polyrhythms as well which gave it a prog feel too. This record essentially had bits of a lot of my favorite parts of music.
This record is so rad. I love that in the late 60s and through the 70s everybody was just doing their own take on the blues. (I guess that's true of really all contemporary American music 🤔) The obvious fusion of Latin, Jazz, Blues is what makes this so palpable. Carlos' guitar is so dialed and his style is so recognizable. The drumming is super good, kind of the sneaky second best thing on the album. Its really easy to get lost in this album, because there is just so much going on that you kind of just lean into one or 2 things and ride with it. I had a blast with this one.
Rv
Fun, largely instrumental, seventies rock with Mexican guitar flair.
Incident at Neshabur
Honestly this album was fantastic. There wasn't many vocals in this album at all and it made the album blend all the tracks together because of that. I'll definitely listen to this album again and I finally understand why Santana is considered to be the best guitarist of all time.
#138/1001. All the Santana hits in one album? I didn't realize this was the case. I think I am only familiar eith couple other albums from some reason. But this rocks, the original superstar who brought Latin grooves to hippie consciousness and beyond. I'm also glad how the guitar master sometimes steps aside and let's the band shine.
Cool Latin vibes, Santana with some well placed blues licks and decent solos. I Like!
Oh well, plenty of noodeling. Samba Pa Ti of course being a great tune.
4/5
Great album.
Very good. Catchy songs
Альбом хорош и обложка хороша.
In my first listening, I ended up with very good impressions, but the more and more I listening to it, I think I like it a little less. First of all, this album is incredibly smooth and the elements of rock and latin blent very well one with each other, and makes this album a very unique and interesting experience. So, what is not to like about it? Not much really, I think I just was getting bored of it, or at least its second half, since the first one has the best moments and I don't think I ever got tired of them. There were times that I wondered if I should give it 4 stars, but after my lastest listenings, I decided to give it 3.
Overraskende godt. Meget jazz agtigt
Pissegroovy! En del bedre end jeg havde regnet med!
Black Magic Woman is an alltimer! Had a great time. Santana was a guitar wiz 🧙♂️
Do you enjoy endless guitar noodling and pointless keyboard excursions? If so, then ask your doctor if ABRAXAS® is right for you.
I don’t know how to judge an instrumental album.
Really cool guitar, tough to listen to on the morning commute as it makes me want to drive fast! :)
I’m so sorry for having low expectations
I'm not a jazz fan, or a fan of jams, so idk if Santana is really for me
(3.5) so groovy
Чудовий альбом з насправді досить помірним вкрапленням латіно року (за виключенням деяких пісень) ніж можна було очікувати. Пісні іспанською набагато кращі за англамовні, які занадто наслідують умовний західний стиль.
Ніколи не любив Сантану.
I really enjoyed listening to this album. It is superb music that I really connected with. I was enjoying it so much I got halfway through a second Santana album on Spotify before I realized it. It is still hard to believe that Black Magic Woman is a cover. This is a great album.
Penúltimo día de septiembre con Abraxas, el favorito de todos de Santana. El álbum lograr un objetivo muy común de esa época pero que pocos conseguían: que el oyente entre en un estado de hipnosis con un disco completo, impensado para los tiempos actuales en que el consumo musical es de microdosis y sin compromiso. ¿Romantizando un pasado que no viví? Es probable Muchas gracias y hasta mañana, que cerramos septiembre
Shit rips
Pretty awesome!
Not a fan. Used to hear black magic woman on the radio all the time, never liked classic stuff. Guitar stuff like this just doesn't do it for me.
Great album. Mix of latin, jazz, psychedluc rock. It is expansive and full of passion. The sort of exploration where you can imagine musical rituals taking casting magicspells and transporting your consciousness. 4.5 stars
That’s some quality guitar playing. 3/5
Alltime Classic
Smooth
I like this album. I've heard it a bunch in my childhood. I don't know if I'll ever listen to the whole album again, but some of the songs are stellar. 7/10
At least there’s no Rob Thomas on this album.
Not particularly my cup of tea, but classic Santana is classic for a reason. Worlds above the later collaborations that make me want to stab myself in the ear when they come on.
I don’t know if this music remobilizes some of the latent LSD stored in my spinal cord or if it’s that I was listening to this a lot when I was making out with H— in high school but I just absolutely feel wonderful listening to Santana.
It’s way too easy to forget how greats Santana is. What’s wrong with me?
This album is amazing! Just great from start to finish. No filler, all great.
Abraxas, I give myself to thee!
Santana is awesome - this album is a classic
not bad
Don't care. Santana smooth though
Good
Good
Awesome debut album
Literally listened to this in my dad's car growing up. Pure nostalgia.
oye como va cured my ear infection
this guy does drugs
Samba pa ti really buttered my biscuits
samba pa ti wow wow
Fun but still just background stuff.
I am so glad I finally had a chance to listen to another 70s psychadelic rock artist, and even with latino and prog hints - so so so nice. Well, of course, it's not like I couldn't listen to Santana earlier - I knew quite well they existed and I was planning on listening to that monochromatic lion debut, but I never got around... And wow, Abraxas is so good. Peacefull, not intimidating, very easy listen - but not simple, braindead music. This is full of fineness. I already came back to this album more than once, and will be coming back.
The percussion was on fire. It’s like a cousin to Miles Davis’s Bitches Brew in a way more than just same album cover artist.
I love a man of few words
It's alright. Favourite track: Mother's Daughter
some very good songs
Droning guitar elevator music…. Not my favorite.
Interessante como musica de fundo mas não acho que envelheceu bem nos dias atuais, precisa estar num humor bem especifico
Got nice vibes to get work done
Classic.
This was fun to listen to!
Enjoy the smooth jazz rock tunes like Black Magic Woman and Samba Pa Ti
4/5
A very enjoyable album, good to hear everything other than the obvious Samba Pa Ti and Black Magic Woman. Something I would listen to again.
Great guitars, fun listen.
When a guitar is played with this amount of talent and skill it transcends to another level. This isnt three cords and a bridge, it is someone who closes their eyes and pours out their soul through their fingers and very fee make it to this level. I enjoyed this purely for the respect for his talent rather than any particular love for the songs
Samba Pa Ti is very close to my heart in that it is the only song that is guaranteed to get me off my butt to dance with my wife. The rest of the album is just spectacular.
Early Santana. Raw but full of emotive guitar. Fantastic percussion.
Pretty funky music, an interesting blend of genres
One song I knew, but otherwise a good jam of rock and organs.
I’ve known Carlos Santana as the funny “Smooth by Santana feat. Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty” guy for so long (yes, I have the t-shirt) that I never even considered the possibility of him being a serious musician with critically-acclaimed albums. You could definitely say that Abraxas came as a surprise to me, not only because it’s somehow nearly 30 years older than Supernatural (an album which is pushing 30 itself), but because it’s legitimately good fusion/psychedelic rock that goes so far beyond the boundaries of the “guy plays catchy Latin guitar melodies with popular singer” music he’d later score so many radio hits with. That said, Abraxas is a bit all over the map stylistically. It’s all perfectly listenable, but I definitely see myself gravitating toward certain cuts ("Black Magic Woman" is the big one) than the project as a whole. It’s a textbook three star album for me! Highlights: Singing Winds Crying Beasts, Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen, Mother’s Daughter, Samba pa Ti
While this falls more into the "on here for influence" rather than how it sounds today I think it's one of the better ones there. 7/10
I had heard of this album as it is included in many “best albums of the 70s” lists. First time listening was pleasurable. I normally don’t like Jazz fusion or albums where there are mainly instrumental tracks but this is very accessible and beautifully made.
We dig it dude
Falls off the second half the album but doesn't mean it's terrible, Carlos Santana is still the goat
First day of Yoga
This is good. I'm not into overly guitar-y music, but this is very solid, and it did periodically excite me.
really good latin rock release. very influential for the time too
Love it 4/5
The lick. 10/10. I can listen to this on da za
Good album, but don't think it's for me. Maybe would like it more in a different mood
I really like “Black Magic Woman” and “Oye Cómo Va.” Of course! The rest of the album (and especially Side 2?) isn’t nearly as absorbing.
Extremely Unique instrumentals from anything else in the list thus far and this album is incredible. We got Donkey Country level music beats in this thing.
Heeeeell yeahhhh that guitar.
Every song is interesting and well put together. The instrumentals are on point and the highlight. The vocals are great touch to the whole thing. That guitar made me feel something. I'm in love with this album. Favourite Song: Oye Como Va Honourable Mentions: Samba Pa Ti, Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen, Incident at Neshabur
very good and very interesting. mayhaps a 5 in the distant future
This is more similar to Miles Davis' Bitches Brew than I expected. I'm not usually a fan of guitar playing like this, but I ended up liking a lot of it. I'm also surprised that I actually prefer the instrumental tracks to the ones with vocals. Overall, this is nice, but not something I'd see myself putting on regularly. Standout Track(s): Incident at Neshabur
Good album, Santana's musicality is, of course, excellent. The album could have been better with some more lyrics throughout the songs. 3/5
very nice
3.9 2x catch up 9/18
I always had the image of Santana as mainly Latin rock, but Hope You’re Feeling Better is straight-up hard rock. The guitar tone on this track is just raw and powerful — pure hard rock. I like it.
I had one Santana album growing up and it wasn’t this one. I liked that one a lot. This one is just as groovy.
This album came outs in 1970, and I was 12 years old at the time. One of my cousins had a copy of this on 8 track tape, and I heard parts of it and didn’t really care for it. I don’t think that it was “radio friendly “ enough for my musical tastes back then. Over the years I have heard Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va countless times, and have grown to become quite fond of those songs. After listening to the whole album for the first time, 55 years after its release, I am a bit blown away. I just can’t believe this was issued in 1970…to me it really sounds way ahead of its time, and the songs have held up really well. This album seemed to be about half filled with instrumental tracks, and I really prefer my music with vocals, as long as the vocals are good. Still, I think this album is awesome and I would have given it 5 stars if more of the songs featured vocal music, but it is still a really strong 4 stars album for me, I will definitely be listening to it again!
Great album!
Didn’t do much for me honestly. It’s not bad, but it’s not great either.
Really enjoyed this album!
großes album. black magic woman oye como va samba pa ti und der southernrock-kracher mothers daughter
OYE CÓMO VA MI RITMO BUENO PA GOZAR MULATA OYE CÓMO VA MI RITMO BUENO PA GOZAR MULATA OYE CÓMO VA MI RITMO BUENO PA GOZAR MULATA
Alright.
5 *!!!
4.5
Santana
The musicianship is undeniable but this is not connecting with me. 'Oye Como Va' is an A+ classic rock song. But the rest is just boring to me.
Great artistry, a deserved classic.
I obviously knew "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va," both of which I enjoy quite a bit. The remainder of it has a similar sort of psychedelic Latin vibe. Dug it a lot.
Quite boring and occasionally annoying.
liked this. crazy work on the electric guitar. huge fan of all of the time signature changes in ‘incident at neshabur’ (did notice the vibraslap a lot but i think that’s a me problem). gave it two listens, was working on the first listen, and couldn’t remember whether there were vocals on the album - realized on second listen that the vocals really felt like an instrument of their own, as opposed to instrumentation and vocals being discrete components.
This was ace it does not sound like 1969
This is such a powerful album. I love the Latino percussion fused with rock, and jazz. I love Santana's guitar playing. If I could rate this album, it would be 100%. 5/5