Why They Rock
The chance for Monte Negro to be aligned with Rock the Vote will hopefully alert our fans to exercise their right to vote. Democracy is always
in peril and without utilizing it to its fullest, you insult all those who fight for it everyday– no matter what political side you are on
- Monte Negro
As the world grows increasingly interconnected, the need for art to serve as both a mirror and a bridge grows increasingly crucial. But at its best, music is a subtle transit, initiating a journey effortlessly with the inescapable rapture of a simple melody. The music that wins our hearts needs only to trigger colorful visions and engage us in the moment. It doesn’t need to remind us that we are citizens of a larger world or broaden our horizons from within. But if it happens to do both, then something truly magical has happened. With its debut album Cicatrix, Los Angeles’ Monte Negro manages to establish itself as an important band simply by being a great one.
To grapple with the obvious, Monte Negro is bilingual. Effortlessly so, like so many first generation Americans of Latino descent. As songs like “Arde El Corazon (Triangled Love)” casually glide between English and Spanish, it becomes clear that the band does not belong in the comparatively narrow lane of the rock en espanol genre, nor is it unalloyed “alternative” rock. Even the Latin elements in Monte Negro’s music are searching and expansive, embracing the Colombian cumbia in “Lejos (Me Gusta),” while channeling more traditional Mexican musical elements on “Amor Finito.” Of course, as the sultry reggae of “Give Me Love (No Llores),” the anthemic rock of “No One Knows,” or the grinding guitars of “Don’t Let Me Down” might suggest, U2, Bob Marley, the Police, Jane’s Addiction, the Smashing Pumpkins and Epic Records forefathers the Clash all figure in the mix right alongside Caifanes, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs y Mano Negra.
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