by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

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.