Carlos Santana delivers his third straight star-studded pop album in a row with 2005's
All That I Am. Like 2002's Shaman, this follows the blueprint that producer/record mogul
Clive Davis laid down on 1999's Supernatural, which means that apart from a cut or two,
Santana functions as a supporting musician to a parade of guest stars singing pop songs. Here,
Santana and
Davis try to make lightning strike again, having
Michelle Branch, who sang "The Game of Love" on Shaman, sing the sound-alike "I'm Feeling You," which she also had a hand in writing, and the result isn't bad. The biggest names here are
Mary J. Blige,
Big Boi,
Aerosmith's
Steven Tyler, and the ubiquitous
will.i.am from
the Black Eyed Peas -- and the production is clean and safe, while the songs are professional but predictable. Since none of the songs are bad and since the guest spots are neither embarrassing nor flashy,
All That I Am never offends, and
Santana has some nice playing scattered throughout the album -- his signature, rich, super-saturated tone is certainly the most commanding, memorable thing here. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine