Santana – Santana IV (2016)

From sputnikmusic.com

Review Summary: After 45 years, most of the original members reunited to create a proper follow-up to III…

Any true Santana fan must be aware of the fact that after Caravanserai was released all the way back in 1972, his career went downhill. Every decade or so, a better album would surface, however, nothing ever came close to the highly influential, career defining self-titled debut, Abraxas & III. Those had such an energy, combining blues guitar-enhanced Afro-Latin grooves, powerful percussion, along with all those trademark solos, you couldn’t possibly ask for more. Sadly, tension arose within the band and ultimately disbanded, leaving the frontman alone to constantly change contributors over the years. After a commercial and creative struggle in the ‘80s and early to mid ‘90s, Carlos made a spectacular return when Supernatural became his biggest mainstream success. Its Latin pop/R&B jukebox nature, featuring a revolving cast of then famous vocalists, put him back on the map. Even so, it offered few notable songs and paled in comparison to his initial work (not to mention most of those new fans were completely unaware of previous stuff). Unfortunately, it was milked for almost a decade through its weaker successors. Later, in 2012, Shape Shifter took a step in the right direction, delivering some cool instrumental jams, but was followed by what seemed to be the final nail in the coffin, Corazon. In essence it was a Spanish equivalent to Supernatural, though not only lacked substance, but also managed to horribly butcher one of the man’s finest tunes, ‘Oye Como Va’, by letting Pitbull rap on it.

Thankfully and miraculously, a few years ago Neal Schon approached Santana to record some music together again. The latter decided to reunite the original musicians for a proper follow-up to their last album in the trilogy, called IV. They tapped Gregg Rolie, Michael Carabello, Michael Shrieve, together with current members Benny Rietveld (bass) & percussionist Karl Perraza, started jamming and finally this new LP saw the light of day. The outcome? Well, this is by far the best set of songs we have heard since 1972. Of course, the main reason is the chemistry between members, which gladly is still intact. They have put a lot of soul in this, so it actually turned out honest. ‘Yambu’ kicks in similar fashion to ‘Batuka’ or ‘Waiting’, boasting a catchy cumbia rhythm complete with keyboard leads, percussion, as well as the eternal guitar licks. Segueing into ‘Shake It’, the first proper taste off IV, this is a typical call to dance. The fun jam offers everyone a moment in the spotlight, whereas the infectious chorus echoes classic moments before Neal & Carlos tear the house down. There are several improvisational tunes here and we can be thankful for each of them, since they’re a breath of fresh air after decades of forgettable music. ‘Fillmore East’ is a moody instrumental where the two showcase their skills on a steady background, while the romantic ‘Sueños’ offers some Spanish influences over airy keys & percussion. Despite being less frantic, the band manages to transpose you in the early days. Moreover, this is a proof that Latin music is timeless.

Once again, Gregg Rolie helped pen a handful of gorgeous cuts such as ‘Anywhere You Want To Go’, ‘Blues Magic’ or ‘Leave Me Alone’. The former’s atmosphere bears a resemblance to the quintessential ‘Black Magic Woman’, sharing an impressive organ solo backed by a top notch rhythm section. The heart broken, ‘Blues Magic’ is a lovely slow number akin to ‘Taboo’ off III, followed by the smooth ‘Leave Me Alone’ doing Supernatural the right way. It’s clear that record left a mark as pop influences interfere more than on the initial records. Still, that song is enticing and what’s important to mention is Rolie’s warm croon remains just as essential as always.

In the end, I am sure nobody expected IV to be on the same level as the first three records, let alone surpass it. Nevertheless, it offers a collection of solid tunes that were unlikely to ever be conceived. The excitement behind them is noticeable, yet overall they could have been trimmed for the standard release. There are 16 tracks at a total of almost 76 minutes. At this length, there would have been enough material for Santana V too. To be honest, with all the joy included, it’s exhausting to sit through the entire record without any breaks. If a handful of tracks had been left for a deluxe edition, the results would have been a lot more effective. Regardless, everyone who’s into the band’s music should be happy the main members are back together (this might be a one-off, who knows) and dropping such a good album after 45 years.