At last !! a new Santana album that rawks !!

[SeeMoore]

Downloaded the new Santana release "Guitar Heaven", and so far Sunshine of your Love and While my Guitar Gently Weeps are my favorites.

Most of the guitar work is a big cut above the last offering and the "guest star" theme actualy works this time..

It's all covers but in the style of Santana and a couple songs really remind me of the old Santana, jammin' just for the sake of jammin'.

There is a vid offered which shows "the making of.." and it gives one a behind the scenes look with lots of amps, but didn't see a Dumble on the first viewing.

Not to mention that Santana will be on Dancing with the Stars tonight, which the only "made for chicks, celeb, reality, off with your head phone voting" thing I can tolerate.

[Ziggy AngelDust]

This board has already shat all over this record.

I heard some (most?) of the clips on youtube and thought I heard some phat tones and fiery playing, but it appears that we are in the minority.

[SeeMoore]

I'll have to do a search and see what the concensus is, not that it really matters, I like the album.

[reo73]

I will give him credit for some phat tone, BUT I can't stand his tired and repetitive phrasing in all his solos. How he ever became some type of guitar legend is beyond me.

[goodsal]

I'm a huge Santana fan, but I was terribly disappointed by this album. It sounded like a wedding band playing cheesy covers, with Carlos wanking some solos over the mix. The vocals on most tracks reminded me of those old William Shatner covers from the late 60s. I did like the While My Guitar Gently Weeps track and the Back in Black hip-hop version, but otherwise I found myself cringing a lot.

[pickaguitar]

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=777801&highlight=santana+shark

[2HBStrat]

If you're only familiar with "Smooth" and the Michelle Branch/Santana collaborations and you think that Santana is finally rocking then you need to go back to the beginning. There's some fiery rocking stuff from every period of Santana's career. Judging Santana solely on 'Smooth' is like judging Clapton on 'My father's Eyes' and 'Tears in Heaven'.

[Curt]

I love his playing...but the new album is terrible.
It sounded like rock and roll with easy listening back up singers.
Just plain disappointing.

[iamdavea]

Deciding to do a Van Halen cover, and then selecting "Dance The Night Away" tells me all I need to know.

[markbosko]

If you go back to some of his best stuff, early Santana at Woodstock, what makes him stand out is his tone and passion, not really his technical prowness on the guitar. It's mostly straight forward dorian mode runs, arpeggios, and a few basic blues licks and bends. It doesn't have to be complex to sound great. His more recent playing has too much processing in his sound and it robs him of his tone and neutralizes his passion.
H9sKXDq1zsE&feature=fvsr

[BryanMatthews]

I will give him credit for some phat tone, BUT I can't stand his tired and repetitive phrasing in all his solos. How he ever became some type of guitar legend is beyond me.


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was this triplets pull off phrase in any (all ) of the songs ?

i swear if i hear him play it one more time.......:facepalm

[lhallam]

One of things that makes Carlos unique is that he was pretty much the first guy to infuse latin stylings into rock music.

He also plays some tasteful licks.

Also for those tired of his "same old", gtr playing there are precious, precious few that can re-invent themselves. At least he is trying different musical styles and ideas, from working the McLaughlin to the more pop stuff.

[pete692]

:rotflmaoDeciding to do a Van Halen cover, and then selecting "Dance The Night Away" tells me all I need to know.

[iamdavea]

Thanks, Pete, I'll be here all week; don't forget to tip your waitresses; you've been beautiful!

[Scott Auld]

...early Santana at Woodstock, what makes him stand out is his tone and passion, not really his technical prowness on the guitar. It's mostly straight forward dorian mode runs, arpeggios, and a few basic blues licks and bends. It doesn't have to be complex to sound great.


Great post.

[direwolf]

I have respect for all the founding fathers of rock. Had SRV not played Alpine, there would be those who would say he jumpedtheshark as well. I'm not much of an album guy. I use youtube, pandora, satellite radio.
I like my music live in HD. If artists can take the stage and go toe to toe with Carlos then lights,camera,action cause the masses want to see it.

[stevieboy]

One of things that makes Carlos unique is that he was pretty much the first guy to infuse latin stylings into rock music.



I'm fine with Carlos and everything he's done, but how about Richie Valens? Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs? Freddie Fender? Even ?? Lot's of Latin influence in rock and roll before Carlos came along.

[lhallam]

I'm fine with Carlos and everything he's done, but how about Richie Valens? Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs? Freddie Fender? Even ?? Lot's of Latin influence in rock and roll before Carlos came along.

Yeah, I figured someone may think of a few I forgot, thx.

I only know La Bamba, Wooly Bully/Little Red Riding Hood and Vaya Con Dios. I agree that at two of these have a latin flavor although not with all the percussion Carlos added to the mix.

[GuitarsFromMars]

Carlos has jumped the shark.

He hasn't done anything innovative in 20 years, at least.

I would rather listen to the original versions of the songs he 'borrowed'...It will, however, get classic rock station play (according to a Latin rock guy I know).

[BIGGERSTAFF]

I'm a huge Santana fan, but I was terribly disappointed by this album. It sounded like a wedding band playing cheesy covers, with Carlos wanking some solos over the mix. The vocals on most tracks reminded me of those old William Shatner covers from the late 60s. I did like the While My Guitar Gently Weeps track and the Back in Black hip-hop version, but otherwise I found myself cringing a lot.


I listened to the entire album yesterday, and found myself cringing a lot. There were some nice bits here and there, but overall blech!

[Chrome Dinette]

His version of Fat Bottomed Girls with Justin Bieber is off the chain.

[Galo]

I quote..."the best guitar work he has done in a long time"

Am I glad he jumped the shark as some of u might say...finally I get to listen to some serious guitar playing. FWEIW.
Adios

[ak301]

As a life long Def Lep fan I was suprised to hear Santana was doing Photograph on this album.
I've just listened to it on You Tube and to be honest his guitar playing doesn't really do much for me on it.
I dont like his tone, some of the fills and the main solo seem to just meander along and the arrangement looses the flow of the song in places.
I guess I'm too close to the playing on the original to be positive towards something so different, however that singer sounds awesome.
I'm not very familiar with him here in the UK but his really voice suits it.

Plus the opening riff doesn't sound right with just one guitarist playing it.

As for the debate about Santanas legacy, he's one of THE guitarists in the history and development of electric lead guitar. Sure he's not what he was but some of his early stuff is sublime.

[Paul Conway]

If you go back to some of his best stuff, early Santana at Woodstock, what makes him stand out is his tone and passion, not really his technical prowness on the guitar. It's mostly straight forward dorian mode runs, arpeggios, and a few basic blues licks and bends. It doesn't have to be complex to sound great. His more recent playing has too much processing in his sound and it robs him of his tone and neutralizes his passion.
H9sKXDq1zsE&feature=fvsr

Yup. I, Abraxas and III are all essential. But people forget that back then, Santana was a band, and that they were an enormous boot up the arse of rock music, especially rhythmically. Michael Shrieve was/is incredible.

[stevie2600]

For all the naysayers, it could have been worse. Just wait for the album of Children's Songs:

MhQiV8rAZ6E

[BIGGERSTAFF]

Yikes!!!!!!!

[Jon Silberman]

Yesterday, I was finally able to listen to the first 7 songs on the CD straight through. The music isn't horrible and I like Carlos's phrasing here and there but seriously, the only reason he can get away with this is his storied past. Otherwise, who the heck would buy or listen to this? :confused:

[iamdavea]

Yesterday, I was finally able to listen to the first 7 songs on the CD straight through. The music isn't horrible and I like Carlos's phrasing here and there but seriously, the only reason he can get away with this is his storied past. Otherwise, who the heck would buy or listen to this? :confused:

The same people who pay good money to go see once-famous, where-are-they-now bands that have exactly 1 original band member.

[std22]

So far I like it just fine. Nice to hear some rock for awhile. Just chill.

[doomedfuzz]

I was driving back from my grandmother's funeral last weekend listening to the Classic Vinyl station on my satellite radio in the car and they kept playing tracks from the album all weekend, I heard probably 5-6 of them and they were just horrible. Photograph was really, really bad. Someone said it sounded like a wedding cover band, I thought the same thing! Pass on this one and I give it a great big fail - and I am a Santana fan usually.

[isfahani]

His version of Fat Bottomed Girls with Justin Bieber is off the chain.

A google search for this turned up nothing. I am very very disappointed.

[Marc Roy]

His version of Fat Bottomed Girls with Justin Bieber is off the chain.

Please tell me you're joking. Justin Bieber doing "Fat Bottomed Girls"? Just thinking about it makes me want to puke. Freddy Mercury would surely roll in his grave.

[Mark Kane]

I bought the CD yesterday and have listened to half of it a couple times. When you're at his level and doing covers I think at the end of the day you have to say you've added something that maybe wasn't there or at least offered a cool variation. I think he did that with "Riders on the Storm, "While My guitar Gently weeps", and the ACDC tune. the Cream and Led Zep tunes were pure wankery, sounded like he was just jamming with a cover band. The Stones tune and that song Photograph were real light in the britches. I still love the guy, and he got my money again as he's been doing for 40 years or so now but, let's put this stuff behind us and start working a real collection of songs with some guys that will challenge a bit.

[Chrome Dinette]

Please tell me you're joking. Justin Bieber doing "Fat Bottomed Girls"? Just thinking about it makes me want to puke. Freddy Mercury would surely roll in his grave.


I was just kidding. There was a thread on another message board where there were lots of posts postulating what else could have been on this album.

Other possibilities:

Ice Cream Man w/ Toby Keith

Move On Up (feat. 311)

Kick Out the Jams - (featuring the Jonas Brothers)

Everything Zen - (featuring Kate Bush)

Have You Never Been Mellow (featuring Wyclef Jean and Macy Grey)

[monty]

I bought the CD, but was reading Guitar World and he talks about doing "Fortunate Son" but I dont hear it on my CD.
Anybody know if it was just on a special edition or something?

[heavysoul]

For all the naysayers, it could have been worse. Just wait for the album of Children's Songs:

MhQiV8rAZ6E


I kind of liked that actually... :hide

[thenewpollution]

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was this triplets pull off phrase in any (all ) of the songs ?

i swear if i hear him play it one more time.......:facepalm

You forgot the screaming step and a half bend at the end of that "phrase."

[HeyMrTeleMan]

I love his playing...but the new album is terrible.
It sounded like rock and roll with easy listening back up singers.
Just plain disappointing.

I finally watched my TIVO of him performing on the Tonight Show last night with India.Arie and it was the worst performance I've seen of him. Even my wife said it was horrible! That tune just wasn't right in any way. He (and she) did nothing for that song, except a disservice.

Now, I've loved Santana long time (I saw him at Woodstock and with Janis Joplin) but this was just a disgrace and I'd been hoping to actually buy the album.

I think I'll pass...

[Galo]

maybe Better http://www.lopeztonight.com/episode_recaps_and_highlights/santana_and_india_arie_weep.php


I finally watched my TIVO of him performing on the Tonight Show last night with India.Arie and it was the worst performance I've seen of him. Even my wife said it was horrible! That tune just wasn't right in any way. He (and she) did nothing for that song, except a disservice.

Now, I've loved Santana long time (I saw him at Woodstock and with Janis Joplin) but this was just a disgrace and I'd been hoping to actually buy the album.

I think I'll pass...

[Eric Thomas]

Overall, I find it to be a horrible choice of material. Photograph... Back in Black.... Dance the Night Away... Smoke on the Water.... Seriously??? This looks like the setlist of songs that I never want to hear again from a bad 70's-80's cover band.

I'm a long time Carlos fan, and I love his playing (even if he has been playing the same licks for 20 years). Come on Carlos, you can do better!

[nater9]

I'm a little dissapointed in the album as well, kind of 50/50 about it... but just to mention..... this album (and the songs) were mostly Clive Davis' idea and he had to convince Carlos to do them. Carlos didn't want to do them at first, then gave in.... in the name of "trust" of Clive Davis. Santana did say he is concurrently working on an all instrumental album due out later this year, or next. I think this is purely a money maker for Clive and Santana and that's it. Although, Santana and his spiritual ways, I'm sure he put his heart and soul into the album, but it was destined to fail from the beginning... Although I will say Sunshine of your Love is pretty rockin...

[Galo]

[QUOTE=nater9;9151236 Carlos didn't want to do them at first, then gave in.... in the name of "trust" of Clive Davis. [/QUOTE]

How do u know this?

[pete692]

How do u know this?

Because of the Guitar World Santana gave this month. It's all PR. He comes off like he reluctantly had to be begged to go in and cash in by going wheedla wheedlie whoo whoo over top these ready made classics.

[nater9]

How do u know this?

Vintage Guitar - current issue, here's a link to the mag, but probably not that actual article...


http://www.vintageguitar.com/current/

[nater9]

Because of the Guitar World Santana gave this month. It's all PR. He comes off like he reluctantly had to be begged to go in and cash in by going wheedla wheedlie whoo whoo over top these ready made classics.

Yeah, he probably hit all the mags this last month... I don't think I read it in GW, but I thought it was in VG.... either way... probably a similar article...

[Galo]

Need more proof my man!!!!

by the way wheedla wheedlie whoo whoo doesn't translate to Spanish very well...cant find it in the dictionary.

[Galo]

This rocks to me!!!! good guitar playing...needs a little more drums though

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIrsYS53iV8&feature=player_embedded#!

[Eric Thomas]

This rocks to me!!!! good guitar playing...needs a little more drums though

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIrsYS53iV8&feature=player_embedded#! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIrsYS53iV8&feature=player_embedded#%21)


Didn't Aerosmith and Run DMC do that 20 years ago?

Embarrassing, IMO.

To each his own.

[Galo]

Talking about the guitar playing brother!!!!!
I dont care about the song.

Didn't Aerosmith and Run DMC do that 20 years ago?

Embarrassing, IMO.

To each his own.

[ChrisP]

This rocks to me!!!! good guitar playing...needs a little more drums though

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIrsYS53iV8&feature=player_embedded#! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIrsYS53iV8&feature=player_embedded#%21)

painful

[BIGGERSTAFF]

painful

I concur. The album is pretty dismal. The only thing that I didn't feel was either embarassing, or a downright abomination, was his take on I Ain't Superstitious.

[BIGGERSTAFF]

Here's the kind of stuff that would make me listen to Santana again-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgZQCGzYvP8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mrOjsIl99k&feature=related

This was his last album that I could stand.

[Rama]

Devadip....where'd you go???

[MichaelSaulnier]

I doubt whether we're the "target audience" for this material.

It will be interesting to see how much Carlos incorporates these songs in his live show.

I thought it was pretty typical Carlos these days, which I'd rather listen to than most of the "pop world's" output.

M

[BIGGERSTAFF]

I doubt whether we're the "target audience" for this material.

It will be interesting to see how much Carlos incorporates these songs in his live show.

I thought it was pretty typical Carlos these days, which I'd rather listen to than most of the "pop world's" output.

M

The target audience for music like this, is the same crowd that buys John Tesh, Yanni, and Kenny G albums.:hide2:D

[Washburnmemphis]

The target audience for music like this, is the same crowd that buys John Tesh, Yanni, and Kenny G albums.:hide2:D


Really? You think the John Tesh, Yanni, and Kenny G crowd are looking for an album with Nas on it?

:messedup

[pete692]

Really? You think the John Tesh, Yanni, and Kenny G crowd are looking for an album with Nas on it?

:messedup
Sure, it gives them the illusion that they're listening to something "edgy."

[fjf]

His old stuff (through 1980) always seemed to breath. The tones I think were better back then and the albums had a theme of sorts running through them. This album is just so busy. There is some good stuff imo, but all in all, a dissapointment.

[gassyndrome]

His wah tone is pretty cool, but the whole concept and execution is horrible.

The tremelo picking on the high e bend thing is just beyond a joke now. Its like Zakk Wylde's pinch harmonic thing but without the technical ability.

[JPF]

I've honestly tried to like it, but I've met my match.

His pre-Supernatural material is where it's at for me. I'm a retro, I guess.

[mike walker]

I cannot work out whether i don't like this because of my cynicism or his (read: 'Record Company') cynicism.

If someone (read: 'Record Company ideas man') had the idea to bring out a record...
with Rock meets Jazz meets Childrens Choir meets all the G8 summit leaders
in splendid 'hey jude' symbiosis.....
then we would be barraged with
a sling of dubious non directional spin offs with a similar line up.

Then again.... this could easily be my cynicism.

[JPF]

No - I think it's your ears.

Mine, too.

Utter musical bollocks TM.

[nater9]

After listening a bit more now, I have to say it falls a little flat for me. If you take a few songs for what they are by themselves, there's some pretty rockin' stuff, some great wah sounds, and some good licks. The guest singers all did pretty well... so for a single piece of recorded music, it's pretty good..... but when you add into the mix that it's CARLOS FRICKIN' SANTANA, you expect more.... and that's why it falls flat for me. I expected it to sound more like his band, but they stay pretty true to the original recordings in many cases, which gives it a bit of a cheesy cover band vibe.

[erksin]

Tripe.

[Lucidology]

I cannot work out whether i don't like this because of my cynicism or his (read: 'Record Company') cynicism.

If someone (read: 'Record Company ideas man') had the idea to bring out a record...
with Rock meets Jazz meets Childrens Choir meets all the G8 summit leaders
in splendid 'hey jude' symbiosis.....
then we would be barraged with
a sling of dubious non directional spin offs with a similar line up.

Then again.... this could easily be my cynicism.

Then we are cynics together ...

I do think that Santana is a very lyrical player within his own boundaries of playing (which are perfect for what he does ...)
& agree with Herbie Hancock's assessment of Santana's playing ..
that no matter what he's playing, there's always something melodic going on...
Thus Herbie calls him "Mr. Melody ...
& coming from Herbie, that's one hell of a compliment ..

To me this is just a Clive Davis manipulation ...
Everything I've heard Santana play over these old tunes sounds great ...
He steps up to the plate & hits a home run every time ..
but other then his playing ...
the overall renditions of the tunes could be more creative IMO ...