Legendary guitarist’s new record stumbles due to head-scratching collaborations
Santana’s 2000 Grammy-winning Supernatural—full of inspired collaborations with artists like Rob Thomas and Wyclef Jean—prompted several generations of music fans to make him the biggest comeback since Lazarus. His newest album, All That I Am, adopts a similar formula but with messy results. You won’t be feelin’ the first single, a gooey pop duet with Michelle Branch called “I’m Feeling You.” And you won’t be believing some of the pointless pairings. Sean Paul with Joss Stone? Metallica’s Kirk Hammett with pedal-steel jam-master Robert Randolph? Meanwhile, Santana himself just gets lost in the hullabaloo, going hip hop with Mary J. Blige and OutKast’s Big Boi, going blues-pop earnest with Mexi-soul mates Los Lonely Boys and letting Steven Tyler cheese it up on a power ballad. Tellingly, the only satisfying songs here are the two Spanish-language tracks that kick off the album with booty-shaking brilliance. Carlos, ain’t it time to come home again?