Monaco is quite different than
Revenge,
Peter Hook's previous side project from
New Order. Where
Revenge was a heavy, occasionally industrial, reworking of
New Order,
Monaco is a more pop-oriented affair.
Hook and his collaborator David Potts still give the music a cool dance underpinning, but the intention of the duo is to marry the tuneful craftmanship of Britpop with modern sonics. Surprisingly, most of their debut,
Music for Pleasure, works. Although Potts' contributions tread too close to
Oasis territory for comfort,
Hook's songs are melodic, concise and catchy -- he hasn't sounded quite so fresh since the late '80s. There are still a few dull moments scattered across the record, yet
Music for Pleasure remains a thoroughly enjoyable listen. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine