Don't Get Lost in Translations or Comparisons
Monte Negro may cause some listeners to get lost in the Spanish translation, but no dictionary is required for the uplifting riffs and clean bill of rock. Standouts on “Cicatrix” (Epic Records) include “Give Me Love (No Llores)” and “Arde El Corazon.” Both feel like Quentin Taratino films, seedy and unforgettable. “Give Me Love” has that reggae twist to it, a fusion of 311 and possibly Matisyahu. Other listeners may resort to comparisions of Emo faves Modest Mouse or The Killers. And, the daring, the odd, The Faint.
Monte Negro is pretty even keel in rock, but do show depth and intimacy with “Pena Colectina.” A charming piano stretch bridges the crisp vocals and eclectic arrangements in this poignant offering. "Lejos" is devistatingly pop and at the same time, drifts between numbing melody and computerized trick. New wavish, and a bit Duran Duran (more "Electric Barberella" than "The Wedding Album").
Latin-Laced Feel Meets Art House Punk
Fans of Rodrigo y Gabriela will not only like Monte Negro for its Latin-laced songs, but its commitment to advancing art. Exceptional talent and unique writing is fulfilling and goes against any sort of menu or recipe for success. Even more intriguing is the secrecy about the band's comprising members. Their stories are wrapped into the music, assumingly, and with little to go on, it's easy to imagine the journey they've concocted as one that has just began. It's evident that Los Angeles has been key to these seemingly multi-layered musicians. The backdrop of such a diverse community and oft unchartered characters lends to a perfect marriage wth these brutes.
Visually Stunning
Monte Negro incorporates a strong color palet of greens, reds, and vibrant hues of yellows into their stirring overall scheme. When day-dreaming or getting lost in the music, grand images come to mind, and test the imagination for visual fulfilment. Monte Negro's videos are clicks of offbeat images, with desirable connections to trendy threads and quirky licks. They're sexy too (yet again in reference to Duran Duran- think "Red Carpet Massacre," but way younger). The band's website's motiff is cultish and neuroticly Californian.
Good Start to Something New
Diving into Monte Negro's sounds is a good start for music fans hoping for relief from the dreadful, robotic major-label machine. It's like eating at a new restaurant and thinking you will hate it, but in the end, it's something you want to try again and again. Although, there's nothing worse that realizing everyone else has discovered what-you-thought-you-only-knew-about. "Cicatrix" is wild, kinky, electric, pidge-podge and a nice change to the modern alternative rock music scene. Me gusta.
