New Santana Album "Africa Speaks"

mc, since when am I PC. I'm a certified desert dweller.

Like most modern popular artists Santana's later work lacks the intensity of youth. It is too polished, too well thought out. As for this citizen of the world BS, it would be lovely except the rest of the world isn't ready for it yet. See how long you last as a white guy in Rwanda. Talk to me in another 100 years. I'm an American Jew and proud of it. I don't have to worry as much about having my family killed here. 

and by the way it is all compressed. Just a matter of how much. High resolution digital download offers the opportunity for full dynamic range but requires making another master specifically for it. Eventually we will see it.

I’m afraid you missed the point. The CD under discussion is extremely compressed. Can you say flatline? Aggressive compression affects all formats to some degree, CD, SACD, Hi Res downloads, what have you. 

I have that CD Treebeard, plus a number of other Putumayo CD's; they're all nice, I like the rhythms.

Wow.  You guys are a tough crowd-comparing the latest outing from a 72 year old artist to one of the all time classic albums, Abraxis!  I think we could compare the vast majority of albums released by most artists in the last 2 decades to Abraxis and still come up short.  Firstly an admission of bias-I have been a huge Santana fan since Abraxis first was released-still have that copy and it sounds great. I really liked this album-a lot.  He is playing with real passion and I feel he has returned to roots.  Santana 4, released a few years ago also is great, btw.  Part of our problem today is we listen to a spin or two and don't let the music get a chance to percolate through our heads.  That's because we aren't sixteen year olds who can afford only one album every 2-3 months.  I remember albums that I thought were real dogs but played them because I had played the crap out all my others only to find that after multiple plays, the music got better and better.  If you don't like Santana, you probably won't like this album.  But this is one of his best releases music wise since the classic first four in my opinion.  If you have it-let it be the album you warm your system up with.  It just may change your mind.