Album: Santana, Shape Shifter (Sony/Starfaith

While applauding Carlos Santana's dedication of Shape Shifter to native peoples everywhere, it might have been hoped that the album itself were more impressive.

He remains capable of bursts of quite dazzling prestidigitation, as with the guitar flurries that grace tracks such as “Nomad” and “In the Light of a New Day”; but he seems to have stopped listening to new music, which leaves Shape Shifter mired in tired old styles And why the lack of vocals? The sole time his singers get involved, on “Eres la Luz”, they add a kick that catalyses the whole band.

Download: Eres la Luz; Metatron