Santana: Supernatural (Arista)
Just in time for the Latin pop revival, the original electric guitar troubador returns to show the young gringos how it's really done. Ricky Martin may have the pecs, but ol' Carlos still has the chops, and his trademark licks are all over this album like tassels on a matador's jacket. This is Santana's first album on Arista, and it sees him reunited with co-producer Clive Davis, the man who originally signed the guitarist back in 1968. The album features a host of young guns on guest vocals, including Dave Matthews, Lauren Hill, Wyclef Jean, Everlast and Eagle Eye Cherry, while old riff-buddy Eric Clapton lends a slow hand to the closing track, The Calling. Good thing Santana is still into sexy Latin beats - otherwise this album would sound like just another boring old AOR guy trying to be down with the kids.
Kevin Courtney
Marky Ramone and The Intruders: The Answer To All Your Problems? (Zoe)
Being an ex-Ramone can bring myriad problems, like how the hell do you top such gloriously asinine albums as Rocket To Russia and Leave Home? Try as he might, the ex-drummer with New York's pinhead punks cannot quite emulate the puerile genius of his former band's oeuvre and, believe me, he really tries. With the help of Ben Trokan on vocals and guitar, and Johnny Pisano on bass, Marky Ramone and The Intruders spit out such existential anthems as Life Sucks ("My girlfriend tried to strangle me/ With her pantyhose"), Don't Blame Me ("Don't blame me for mistakes that you made/ Don't blame me 'cos you can't get laid"), and Middle Fin- ger ("Give 'em the middle finger/ It's the universal language"). Even with the added punk girl power of Joan Jett on guest vocals, however, and a truly headbanging version of The Beatles' Nowhere Man, this is still a few braincells short of a lobotomy.
Kevin Courtney