Shaman starts with a problem--how do you follow the massive comeback, "make you a star again" success of his previous album Supernatural? Wyclef's no longer producing to bump things up and Santana's getting no younger. So what does he do? Pull in as many guest artists as possible. He has to; he's not a vocalist, and there's only so many guitar solos anyone can take. Shaman features, wait for it, Dido, Chad Kroeger from Nickelback, P.O.D., Macy Gray, Citizen Cope, Placido Domingo, Alejandro Lerner, Musiq, Me'Shell Ndegeocello, Ozomatli, Seal, Michael Shrieve, and producers KC Porter and Kike Santander. Were the Neptunes busy? They're the only people missing. Despite all these "stars", the instrumental "Victory Is One" is a standout track, blazing together Santana's age-old fusion of latin rock. Lead single "The Game of Love" sung by 19-year-old Michelle Branch is sugary 60s pop and shows a lack of consistency throughout the album. In truth it sounds like a record produced by a focus group. Each track targets a demographic with Santana playing the role of brand not band. Only Ozomatli and Macy Gray get Santana, themselves products of an alternative music upbringing. The rest of the artists such as Seal, Dido and Musiq (nee Musiq Soulchild) seem to have turned up for the pay-day. Santana doesn't play with any less conviction but many of his guests are here for the beer. That said his cover of Angelique Kidjo's "Adouma" is storming and on so called "world-music" territory ("Foo Foo", "Aye, Aye") Santana stands strong. However, you can only blame Santana and the focus group all stars for a ready meal album. If he'd concentrated a little more on who he is, not who he believes people would like him to be, this could have been a great album. --Jake Barnes
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