SANTANA IV
Santana
•Jazz Rock/Fusion
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Studio Album, released in 2016 Songs / Tracks Listing 1. Yambu (3:27) - Carlos Santana / guitar, vocals, arrangements
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SANTANA Santana IV ratings distribution
(67 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(17%)
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(58%)
Good, but non-essential (17%)
Collectors/fans only (3%)
Poor. Only for completionists (6%)
SANTANA Santana IV reviews
Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings
Collaborators/Experts Reviews
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

75 minutes of thrilling music played out over 16 tracks, so this is a biggie, as the band must have been quite inspired. For those of you who continue (and rightly so) to adulate the churning, roiling and burning sound of the Hammond B3, then you will undoubtedly be satiated, as Greg Rollie really pulls out all the stops on every single track. In fact, I cannot remember an album so front-loaded with organ, perhaps Niacin (Novello, Sheehan & Chambers). Within seconds of opener "Yambu", the terrific organ display kicks you in the gut, spiced up tropical chants, rampaging bass, jungle percussion, slick and thick guitars and lots of Latino drive. Then follows a cavalcade of different styles, showing the wide musical panorama within this relatively tight genre. There are some classic Afro-Latino canons , bluesy pieces , heavier rock material, smooth bliss out jams and the odd ballad , all garnished with a myriad of Carlos Santana solos , ably assisted by Neal Schon's gravellier approach.
Highlight tracks are the feverish and very sensual "Fillmore East" and its 1970-ish feel, a 7 minute+ excursion into lush sonic horizons that may recall the sweeping levels attained with "Caravanserai", a densely progressive score that showcases the dual guitars that made Santana such a powerful force back in the day. Slowly blooming arrangement and utterly sunny in disposition, this is dreamland space rock music of the highest order, with a nearly "Maggot Brain"-like feel at times. Splendid track indeed!
The delicious "Suenos " has an almost Bond-like intro followed quickly by that classic slow Latino lullaby a la "Samba Pa Ti", "Europa" and such.., an instrumental voyage into simple beauty and melodic apotheosis, elevating the urgency to blistering heights, as the sweeping organ lays down a sonic carpet of roses for Carlos to dance on, cradling and caressing his beloved guitar like only he can. Que savor!
Another matador track is the luxuriant "Blues Magic", the title spilling the beans on the reality that Carlos' musical soul is really governed by a blues guitar sensibility. He just also knows how to rock, dance, explode and rage as well. The slow burning solo here is thoroughly lethal, almost BB King-like , which frankly is the highest praise possible. Greg Rollie has this masculine bluster that suits the blues just perfectly. "Everything is alright, yeah". "Leave Me Alone" possesses that never boring bluesy trait, loaded with tchaka-tchaka percussives and a chanting "Oh oh oh" that cries out ,"baby don't go", a completely addictive sing-along masterpiece that one can never tire of, Rollie flirting with organ indecency as his fingers do the talking. The emerging guitar solo is all trouble, rage, anger and pain rolled into one.
Couple of electrifying instrumentals in "Echizo", an extremely guitar-centric piece from Neil Schon , featuring those upward spiraling vortex solos that defy gravity let alone technique. The flamenco-like "You and I" is gentle panacea, an island of shimmering gorgeousness, the ornate piano now playing its romantic role perfectly, a fabulous Rollie composition.
For diversity's sake, there are a couple of soul-tinged and energetic vocal pieces featuring insistent singer Ronald Isley , rekindling classic Santana pieces such as "Mirage", "When I Look Into Your Eyes" and "Transcendence", heavily dependent on smoking Rollie organ runs and the classic screeching Santana guitar wail. Both "Love Makes the World Go Round" and "Freedom In Your Mind" are rabble-rousing and spirited pieces, full of energy and spice, enthralling and intoxicating.
Some obvious winks at the past as "Choo Choo" has a little of the classic "Jingo", the lyrics a bit corny but the Rollie vocal is quite a treat. What he does to his organ is flat out perverse, shuffling over the ivories with raging gusto. The smooth percussive locomotive spews incredible steam, giving maestro Carlos another platform to shred hard, fast and loud on the connecting "All Aboard". Continuing the motion theme on the boisterous "Caminando", wah-wah guitar licks, rushing leads, smoky organ fills and the binary rhythm tandem punching away. Rollie's vocal is all rock 'n roll ("Let it Roll") and the Spanish chanting only adds more ethnic fusion to the mix.
The only weak piece, in my opinion, is the calypso-like "Come as You Are", with its overt tropical feel that is just a tad too commercial for my taste and also proves to be quite a different tangent than the rest of the material here. Still has some slippery axe leads that provide immense pleasure but it's not as tasty as one could hope for.
"Forgiveness" (for not having made an album like this for 40 years?) is the grand finale, as well as second longest track, arguably the most progressive thingy here (along with that "Fillmore East" jam). An exaltingly tranquil approach at first with both guitarist trading quavering notes, loads of effects and shivering percussion, this is masterful in both technique and spirit. Yes it's true the Gregg Rollie vocal is strangely like Peter Gabriel, while the instrumental display is out of worldly, at times closer to "Bridge of Sighs"-era Robin Trower. In fact, Rollie sounds a lot more like singer Jim Dewar (RIP). This is pure Santana gold, surely one of the group's finest compositions. Mucho gusto.
I never thought this retro album would ever surface as I gave up after the maudlin 1981 "Milagro" affair. Nice to have you back Carlos, Neil, Gregg and Michael. More, por favor!
4.5 petit fours
Latest members reviews
After years of collaborations - some of which were fantastic , others being duds - Carlos
Santana finally got the band back together - the original band, that is! Welcome back Gregg Rolie,
Michael Shrieve, Mike Carabello and Neal Schon. Santana IV marks the first album from this legendary
l
... (read more)
Report this review (#1589148) | Posted by PoolmanProgger | Wednesday, July 20, 2016 | Review Permanlink
I have not bothered with any recent Santana releases, in fact the most recent Santana album I own is
Moonflower. So I was surprised to see much of the original Woodstock band is back for this, Santana IV.
All except David Brown, who unfortunately passed away in 2000, and Jose Chepito Areas, for so
... (read more)
Report this review (#1555241) | Posted by Progfan97402 | Saturday, April 23, 2016 | Review Permanlink
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