SHAMAN

Santana revived with "Supernatural". Can you imagine that TWENTY-FIVE million albums were sold ? It won NINE grammy awards and went FIFTEEN tilmes paltinium in the States. Not too bad for someone who was almost retired...

Nothing but normal that our dear friend Carlos newly re-born tried to create a follow-up and release another similar album.

Some catchy songs will be features here but none as "Smoooth" for instance. The best that you can expect from this album is some fantastic guitar riffs from the master.

Like in : "Game Of Love" (which would have been poor otherwise but this remark is valid almost throughout the album), "You Are My Kind", "Victory Is One" the fifteenth or so (I stopped counting, really) attempt of another "Samba Pa' Ti". As usual it is my fave of the album (but if you've read some of my Santana reviews, you know by now that I am completely biased by this great song).

Furious guitar during "America", passionate ones in "Feels Like Fire" (another poor song, though). "Novus" with vocals from ...Plácido Domingo is also a good song. Nice acoustic (Spanish style) as well as electric guitar.

You can expect the worse as well : "Foo Foo", "Sideways" (a quiet jazzy one). But even then, Carlos will be very inspired. The soul "Why Don't You And I" is not my cup of tea either. Like "Let Me Love You Tonight", the well titled "Aye Aye Aye" and finally " One Of Those Days".

Actually, the second part of the album is poor (except "Novus"). Lack of inspiration, I guess.

I hope that one day, Carlos will fully return to his great latin-rock of the debut. I have read on Greg Rolie's web-site that Carlos, Mike (Carabello) and Gregg played together in January 2007 for a benefit concert. If only the second half of the band would ...but I guess that I'm dreaming.

Two stars for this album only thanks to the short (but plentiful) guitar moments. This album will be twice platinum...It is also far too lenghty.