Santana - Beyond Appearances (2014) [Hi-Res]

Flashy, mid-80's neon pop is the predominant flavor on the promising BEYOND APPEARANCES. Santana enlists the touch of contemporary producer Val Garay for the band's enduring offering of red-hot guitar and a universalist message. Highlights of the lineup include the debut of longtime keyboardist Chester 'CT' Thompson and bass sage Alphonso Johnson of Weather Report fame.

'Breaking Out' is an upbeat, get-up-and-go fever, with Alex Ligertwood sharing vocal duties with the newly returning Greg Walker. Here and throughout, Carlos pierces through the pop romp with his searing blues-rock fills. Mitchell Froom lends pen and string synthesizer to the ruminative, Sting-esque 'Written In Sand.' The brief jaunt 'Brotherhood' could hardly be more simply direct with its message, as Carlos steps up to the mic to vehemently declare, 'No more politics or denominationsàNo more war, violence or pain.' The high-flying guitar riffage of the instrumental 'Touchdown Raiders' caps the set on a pleasantly roughcast note.

„Seven months in the making, and appearing two-and-a-half years after Santana's last album, Beyond Appearances was produced by Val (Bette Davis Eyes) Garay in a hot 1980s style, replete with prominent synthesizers and drum machines. In the interim, the band had undergone changes, with Alphonso Johnson replacing David Margen on bass, Chester D. Thompson and David Sancious replacing Richard Baker on keyboards, Chester Cortez Thompson replacing Graham Lear on drums, and singer Greg Walker rejoining. Garay co-wrote 'Say It Again' (#46), Santana's final Hot 100 entry until 'Smooth' in 1999 (a remake of Curtis Mayfield's 'I'm The One Who Loves You' hit #102), but this latest pop interpretation of the Santana sound did not endear it to fans, and, at a peak of Number 50, Beyond Appearances was the lowest charting Santana album yet.“ (William Ruhlmann, AMG)

Carlos Santana, guitar, acoustic 12-string guitar, vocals
Alphonso Johnson, bass
Chester D. Thompson, synthesizer, bass, keyboards, organ
David Sancious, rhythm guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, guitar
Chester Cortez Thompson, drums, bass pedals
Greg Walker, lead and background vocals
Alex Ligertwood, rhythm guitar, lead and background vocals, harmony
Bryan Garofalo, bass
Steve Goldstein, synthesizer, keyboards
Craig Krampf, drums, DMX drum machine
Armando Peraza, bongos, percussion, shakers, congas
Orestes Vilato, bells, timbales, percussion, cymbals, woodblocks, vocals
Mitchell Froom, string synthesizer
Raul Rekow, chekere, congas, shakers, vocals
David Adelstein, synthesizer, DMX drum machine, synthesizer bass
John Woodhead, guitar
Anthony LaPeau, background vocals
Craig Hull, guitar
F. Bob Getter, string bass

Recorded March 28 to November 1, 1984 at at Record One, Los Angeles, California; Plant Studios, Sausalito, California and Studio 55, Los Angeles, California Recorded by Val Garay & Richard Bosworth at Record One, Los Angeles
Produced by Val Garay

Digitally remastered