Montenegro returns with a new album after 30 years: music in Catalan and with a very special version

ManacorWe walkedThis is the title of the new album from the Manacor-based band Montenegro, their first in over 30 years without new music. The group, led by Guillem Sansó (and retaining many of its original members), returns with a fresh and renewed sound, but with the same hallmarks of personal lyrics and carefully crafted, joyful arrangements.

The new album, which began taking shape almost a year ago, consists of 10 tracks, opening with the vibrant 'Dansa Turca' and ending with a Catalan version of their hit 'Para bailar', now titled 'Si quieres bailar'. And that's because the main novelty ofWe walkedIt's because it's sung entirely in Catalan.

"When we started out, almost all the bands here sang in Spanish as a matter of course, because that's what was popular and what worked on the radio," Sansó recalls. "Now I couldn't imagine the band ever composing in any language other than Catalan again."

The album, which will be released in two weeks, already has a launch date: February 8th at the Teatre de Petra. But there's also the possibility of adding more concert dates, including in Manacor.

Historical band

Montenegro (originally called Guía del Ocio) was, in the late 1980s, the leading pop group in Manacor. An energetic band with songs that had surreal touches, their originality was perfectly complemented by Guillem Sansó's flamenco-tinged and easily modulated voice. He sang in Spanish, which, instead of working against them, was almost a requirement at the time to get airplay on national radio stations like Los 40 Principales, where they appeared several times.

In 1990 they signed with the multinational Epic, which amplified their fame beyond Mallorca with albums such asDancing with the Presidentand achievements like '¡Qué caray!' or 'Para bailar'.After a few years of hiatus, they reappeared in 2018 to once again enjoy themselves and entertain their long-time favorites, for an audience that responded enthusiastically and still wants to know when the Manacor band will be playing again.