Customer Reviews

Guitar Heaven: The Greatest Guitar Classics of All Time

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The first thing I noticed about this CD was the title, and I must admit this is a bad title. These songs are definitely NOT, in my opinion, the greatest guitar songs of all time. That being said, I'm a HUGE Santana fan and was really looking forward to listening to this album. I couldn't wait to hear Santana's interpretation of these songs and was hoping he would have some monster guitar playing on here. Boy, was I disappointed. At best, some of the songs are OK (I like the spanish guitar-influences on While My Guitar Gently Weeps. I also think the guitar playing on Sunshine of Your Love is top notch). But a lot of the songs left me with a "What were you thinking" frame of mind. The version of Back in Black is ridiculous, and Dance the Night Away was equally as disappointing. They sound generic, the guitar doesn't seem to be the focus of the recordings, and the overall quality is not up to par with Santanta's past efforts. Simply put, the album has no flow to it. I know Santana has released other CDs with various singers, but those flowed well and sounded great. This doesn't. Had I listened to this before I bought it, I would not have purchased it.

The notion of a guitar classic album in the era of "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" is clearly a contrived commerical ploy. And we'd expect nothing less from the tag team of Carlos Santana and Clive Davis. That said, the idea still has the potential for some artistic merit. But a combination of poor song choices, cover band miming and mostly typical Santana guitar flourishes has completely ruined what could have been an interesting AND successful venture.

Some of the song choices have you scratching your head. Would "Photograph" really appear on anyone's list of top guitar classics? Including a Van Halen tune is a no brainer, but is "Dance the Night Away" really a song that defines Eddie's one-of-a-kind stylings? At any rate, song selection is really just minor quibling. Performance could easily change things. But too many of the songs are bland recreations of the original ground-breaking performances. Some takes are downright blasphemous. "Riders on the Storm", despite Ray Manzarek sitting in, has lost completely all of its stark and spooky imagery and without that, what's left? "Little Wing" has been covered so brilliantly by other artists, so why try to compete with that? Carlos, usually a master of beautiful lyrical lines that could have done this composition justice, just doesn't seem to find the feel you'd expect on perhaps the definitive Jimi Hendrix tune. There are some departures from the lame and mundane, notably Chris Cornell's robust vocal delivery on "Whole Lotta Love" (something you won't hear from the song's orignal vocalist these days) and the beautiful and inventive reinterpretation of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". But it's not enough to save this mess. And really, given the talent involved, is a dramatic disappointment.

Crazy Carlos' career has taken some drastic turns and this is definitely one. We can only hope he finds his way again...

This is what it sounds like when a legend phones it in.

In spite of what some have said, Carlos Santana's last couple records were not total washouts, and "Supernatural" does not deserve derision by any means. In fact, it still holds up a solid decade later.

The problem is that nothing sounds impassioned, organic or genuine on "Guitar Heaven: The Greatest Guitar Classics of All Time," whether it be Santana's playing - which, for the most part, sounds merely pleasant and semi-rote - and the vocal contributions of the singers who make guest shots.

The realization that this record is from a man who played Woodstock is, frankly, saddening.

The song selections are not always so hot, either, and when they are - whether it's the immortal "Riders on the Storm" from the Doors or the inescapable brilliance of Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" - the results almost exclusively sound like top-notch karaoke than worthy covers.

Half the material here may be songs so evergreen that they sell themselves, but this also works against Santana and his vocalists - they fight an uphill battle to put any stamp of originality on these covers.

Santana only deserves criticism for consenting to do this project. The original idea to do a record of classic rock covers was that of record industry titan Clive Davis. He has been a shrewd businessman and a fine tastemaker throughout his career, but his strategies have primarily concerned what would sell, not what would sound good or have integrity behind it. Thirty years ago he took Melissa Manchester, who crafted idiosyncratic, adult-oriented pop, and forced her to sing maudlin adult contemporary ballads and, eventually, embarrassing bubble gum, all written by "hit makers." He has often compromised careers while in search of a buck. "Guitar Heaven..." is just the latest example.

Song after song this sounds like grocery store intercom muzak, with rare exception. Chris Cornell attempts to pump life into Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love," although he sounds recorded separately from Santana, which he probably is - this is music by assembly line. India.Arie and Yo-Yo Ma, unsurprisingly, sound lovely on the Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." Gavin Rossdale and Santana also gel well on T. Rex's "Bang a Gong."

For the most part the selections are inescapably calculated and passionless. Santana's sound has not changed in years. Every note can be predicted three songs in advance. Even ice cream can get boring. Record buyers deserve better.

I am an avid music collector and have been a devout follower of Santana since I was a teenager in the 70's. For most of my life I have followed Santana. I have seen the band live countless times; collected all kinds of Santana memorabilia and believe he is a living guitar legend. I own over 30 Santana titles and they are some of my favorite cds.
When "Supernatural" came out I stepped away. I felt it and "Shaman" (and others like it) were a sure way to make money; but they weren't true to the original sound or focus. All that was Santana has been diluted by doing nothing but repeated "successful" guest artists cameo cd's that pander to the crossmarket that follows those "guests". And how many more Santana compilations/Greatest hits packages can be released? Lost is the orginality that made so many Santana albums a delight to listen to again and again. Yes many of those classics were covers as well...but they didn't seem designed to market.
And now this? A cover of guitar classics! We are the people that grew up with these to begin with. Classics are just that; they aren't meant to be covered and certainly not by someone who shared the era with them. Should Deep Purple cover "Everybody's Everything?", AC/DC "Soul Sacrifice" and the Stones "Evil Ways?" I hope not. This is just pure sell out.
Even if you want to shoot for the top 40 market you could still remember your orginal audience and humor us with an occasional orginal release...maybe an instrumental cd, vintage live releases (instead of "greatest hits") or just something from your heart. We're still out here waiting...

The "concept" of this album is good enough.Carlos is one of my favorite guitarists. My contention is that it seems like just another Santana "Duets" album.Lots of wah wah pedal which I love, but it sounds like the same concept as every album since supernatural. How about getting Gregg Rolie, Chepito, Mike Shrieve,Carabello,and maybe even Neal Schon for a reunion album.You know what I'm talking about the real "SANTANA BAND". That would be the real "Guitar Heaven". Listen to the first 4 Santana Band albums and you will understand.

I looked forward to receiving this new Santana. The selections are laughable; the playing is mundane and unoriginal. Tip off should have been Chris Daughtery being included as a guest artist. The whole CD is a mess and an embarrassement. I have erased it from my media center and will sell it for whatever I can get...not really worth .02 however. Perhaps its time that Carlos retired? First his Maria; Maria restaurants (awful) to ladies shoes (shoes?) to this, no wonder Debra left the poor man. Oy Gevalt.

In short, I had to delete this album from my mp3 player because I simply dislike listening to it. Santana is a respectable guitarist, but he really shouldn't delve into other classic songs with his style because his interpretation and the history behind each song are on different worlds. For instance, his rendition of CCR's Fortunate Son completely eliminates the whole Vietnam feel of the song, which I had grown to love, appreciate, and respect. Another example is his rendition of Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love; the lack of strongly-paced rhythm really takes away from the song's true meaning and substance.

I loved Santana's earlier works, but I'm sorry, this album just blows.

While this collection of songs is listenable, I prefer the Santana of old. In preview trailers for this CD, Carlos made a point of saying that the entire Santana band had input and participation in this project. The Latin percussion, which contributes so much to the Santana sound, only appears sporadically. And the rest of the band, all competent musicians, never have a chance to shine.

The guest artist approach worked with Supernatural and, to a lesser extent, Shaman but by the time All That I Am was released it was wearing thin. I'm sure this CD, which follows the Clive Davis guest artist formula, will sell reasonably well and bring in the dinero, but I'm fervently hoping that Carlos isn't following the Rod Stewart, Great American Songbook road and is planning to release five editions of Guitar Heaven. If he does, I'll spend my limited CD budget on lesser known but more deserving groups like The Iguanas, Los Lobos and Alejandro Escovedo.

Sorry Carlos, you're my all-time favorite guitarist, but unless you've lost your mojo and are content to simply play your (and now others) hits in Vegas, I'll have to pass on GH2. Let's hope you find the fire again on your next release.

I love cover albums and I love guitar Santana's playing. This album should be a no brainer right? But he somehow managed to ruin every one of these mostly great songs. EVERY vocal was mediocre at best. Even guys like Joe Cocker mailed it in. His guitar playing was uninspiring and uninteresting. He took none of these songs in any new direction nor do they sound as good as the originals. Think I'll go and listen to his first album.

Anyone who would question Carlos Santana's reputation as one of the world's most accomplished and admired musicians is clearly delirious. Mr. Santana's talent is both prodigious and beyond reproach. However, it is impossible to listen to his latest release and not feel a twinge of sadness that the amazing back from the ashes renaissance he enjoyed with the release of the multi-platinum Supernatural in 1999 has morphed over the last decade into a largely formulaic and unremarkable cd of rock nostalgia.

What does it say about the scruples of the music industry that even a giant such as Santana is considered less than bankable unless working neatly within the lines of the classic rock marketing playbook. In the absense of new material fill and fill with guest-star laden covers - a tired and vastly overused approach that no matter how meticulous and expertly delivered, leaves the material lacking an obvious rationale for a do-over.

Unfortunately, these songs have been part of the Boomer Soundtrack for so long that there's really nothing new to say - no matter how loudly Santana wants to say it.