Santana is going on a world tour this year! Hooray!

As a/the Music Freak I never get bothered about doing reviewing an album that is 10 years old (soon to be 11). It doesn’t matter when an album is released, as it can have still a lasting effect on you for many years to come. And this is what Supernatural had on me. Released in 1999 Carlos Santana released an album that in my personal opinion is one of the most complete records of all time. He is hardly singing on it aswell!

This album affects me personally, and perhaps a large demographic of users/readers who visit MusicVita because you were either about to become a teenager or were a little younger. You’d be in your parents car and the radio would come on and hardly anything would surprise you or enthral you. Until you heard Smooth featuring Rob Thomas. Or perhaps you were on holiday back in the late 90’s or early noughties and you were chilling with friends you made on the beach, or out at a bar. And the now ever so famous riff of Maria Maria begins, you grabbed a girl/guy and you danced to the cool samba/R&B beat of the song.

Those two songs alone were momentous to this album. Universally recognised, nominated for a Grammy award, and even if its played to this day, it will have a feel good factor about it. What is it about those songs that make you feel good? Is it bringing back youthful memories? Is it such a unique sounding vibe? Maybe you popped your cherry/kissed your first love/fell in love to that song, or it reminded you of a wonderful summer? Perhaps it brings you back to an era, you feel, doesn’t exist anymore. And it was only like 9-10 years ago! It varies.

Alot of people believe when they think about Santana that its all guitar. He really is one of the finest of his generation. He is driven by Latin jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms creating this sound that dived into the mainstream culture at the time. He was sort of like a Mark Ronson of his time, priding himself and his music on his collaborations with Wyclef Jean, Rob Thomas, Everlast, Cee-Lo , Dave Matthews, Eric Clapton and Lauryn Hill.

A talented yet, at the time, rather commercial selection of collaborators, which critics may argue was a way for him to grab the attention of a younger audience at the time. Well it worked, and as we have aged I hope we have all come to appreciate this work of art.

Its not a stroke of genius, it doesn’t have deep soul defying lyrics, its just great music. That is why this album will last an eternity. A majority of readers will perhaps only refer to Santana for his single, but purchase Supernatural. Get lost in the music, and add it to one of your all time favourites!