It's been said before but darn it, it must be said again. Peter Hook plays the same low-slung bass lines he does in New Order and David Potts' voice is a dead-ringer for the Order's Barney Sumner.
Hence, Monaco - that's Hooky and Pottsy to you- sound ruddy simliar to New Order. This is not a coincidence people and Hooky knows it. But what both he and Potts are also well aware of is their ability to take that familiar formula and use it to fashion summery pop tunes to savour.
True it's New Order-lite. Driving music free of the shadows and insecurity of the Order's lyrics. But hell that's OK. Never understand why it takes two related groups to create two almost inseparable sounds though.
For when you hear the like of driving opener 'I've Got A Feeling' you can't help but think of the Order's 1989 masterstroke of an album 'Technique'. And you start to think what's the point? Is this just a filler for fans starved of the genuine article?
Then you hear The Charlatans-style of 'It's A Boy' or the Electronic, Johnny Marr-style strumming of 'Black Rain', the breezy Sixties feel of 'Bert's Theme', or the rampant, techno-disco of 'See Saw' -which sounds like an upbeat Beloved- and realise that this follow-up to Monaco's 1997 debut album 'Music For Pleasure' is just a pick'n'mix free-for all.
And is that so bad ladies and gentlemen? Is it?
