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Santana - Inner Secrets Audio CD

A fair review of the Santana "Inner Secrets" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Santana reviews here, or go back to the Santana tabs.

Santana Band: Santana
Title: Inner Secrets
Rating:
Release Date: 2008-03-01
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Dealer/Spanish Rose 2: Move On 3: One Chain (Don't Make No Prison) 4: Stormy 5: Well All Right 6: Open Invitation 7: Life Is a Lady/Holiday 8: Facts of Love 9: Wham!

Weak
Not everything here sucks, but most of it is fairly bland late 70s rock and R&B. This album fits comfortably into Santana's steady deterioration during the second half of the 1970s. The best stuff on here is probably the two Steve Winwood-related covers -- "The Dealer" and "Well All Right". (Vocalist Greg Walker sounds quite a bit like Winwood on much of the album. ) These aren't great, but they aren't bad.

The only tune that deserves special comment is "Open Invitation": this song is hilariously awful, the kind of radio-friendly pop-metal that people routinely laugh at. I think it's worth hearing Inner Secrets just for this track.

Unless you're a Santana completist or a fan of mediocre late 70s music, I wouldn't bother with this one. The best thing that can be said about it is that some of the later Santana albums would be even worse.

[Note: I am basing this review on the 1990 edition, which has an identical tracklist and presumably similar sound quality. ].


Good Album In Need Of Remastering
This was in the middle of a good period for Carlos & Company (76 Moonflower - 82 Shango) and produced some intelligently crafted works with pop overtones. I'm surprised at all the one and two-star reviews of Inner Secrets. The opening "Dealer/Spanish Rose" alternating medley is an interesting progression of the band. "Move On" is so-so, but this leads to the album's best work - a seven-minute funkified take on the Motown classic "One Chain (Don't Make No Prison)," featuring a sweet groove from bassist Dave Margen and always-underrated drummer Graham Lear, stellar playing from Carlos and atmospheric keyboard work. Yes, it has some dance/disco influences, but remember that the album came out in 1978 and that was style de rigeur in those days. The band then produces two more solid covers, the moody "Stormy" and the dual guitar assault on "Well All Right. " I read some strong criticism about "Open Invitation" and I disagree - I think it is a solid straight rocker with a powerful conclusion. The remaining three tracks are so-so as well, listenable but not phenomenal.
What this album needs is a better CD mix. I had the LP and the sound quality was superior. Sony has issued domestic remastered versions of Santana - Welcome and Moonflower, it's time to give Festival and Amigos - Beyond Apperances the same treatment.


Weak
Not everything here sucks, but most of it is fairly bland late 70s rock and R&B. This album fits comfortably into Santana's steady deterioration during the second half of the 1970s. The best stuff on here is probably the two Steve Winwood-related covers -- "The Dealer" and "Well All Right". (Vocalist Greg Walker sounds quite a bit like Winwood on much of the album. ) These aren't great, but they aren't bad.

The only tune that deserves special comment is "Open Invitation": this song is hilariously awful, the kind of radio-friendly pop-metal that people routinely laugh at. I think it's worth hearing Inner Secrets just for this track.

Unless you're a Santana completist or a fan of mediocre late 70s music, I wouldn't bother with this one. The best thing that can be said about it is that some of the later Santana albums would be even worse.


Here's the secret: it's awful
And even if this were otherwise a masterpiece, I'd still dock a full star on the account of Open Invitation. Santana completely sold out here, delivering an awful collection of mainly arena-rockers. Is it his worst song ever? Quite possibly. Even at his prime, Santana couldn't write lyrics, and this is just a mess of bedroom cliches set to an awkwardly thumping, bombastic pop-metal backdrop. And forget ANYTHING about creativity - Santana's classic blues/rock/Latin/jazz guitar tone is dispensed of completely for the most part.
Speaking of selling out, how else could somebody explain the awful disco epic One Chain (Don't Make No Prison)? Seriously, disco and arena-rock ain't Santana's thing. The cover of Traffic's Dealer is awful, stripped of even remote energy or excitement - same goes for his cover of Buddy Holly's Well All Right (via Blind Faith), which is at least better than Invitation, One Chain, or Stormy, so stupid it'll make your IQ lower while you listen to it. Okay, not really, but I don't like the song regardless. You'd expect the two instrumentals to save the day here, right? Well, one of them does: the exciting Wham!, which is even then a more commercial Soul Sacrifice - the other, Life is a Lady/Holiday, is a Europa ripoff so blatant Carlos should've sued himself for writing it. I'm gonna be the early Santana purist here - the debut, Abraxas, III, Love Devotion Surrender, Caravanesari and even Festival blow this out of the water. .


...and a nice album cover, too."
however, the song that sticks out in my mind is his cover of the late 60's classic, "stormy". this lp has all the trimmings of what a santana album contained in the late 70s period of his long journey. this version starts off with some deep fender rhodes playing, and then carlos comes in with his trademark licks. the arrangements have all the 70s vibe that you could ask for and plenty more, so check this one out, if you can.


You can see a complete list of all Santana discography, or go back to the Santana tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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