Monaco

They make few out and out pop albums like this any more, with songs that shamelessly attempt to make you fall in love with them at first sight and wherein catchy hooks (sorry) are far more important than meaningful lyrics.

'I've Got A Feeling' sets the Hook-Potts agenda for the latest offering from the New Order subsidiary as it zips energetically along doffing an occasional nod towards The Buzzcocks and Crowded House. 'A Life Apart' has a more light industrial feel, with relentlessly slow chord changes, a dreamy vocal, great stabbing bass, some neat riffs spliced in here and there, a sublime use of strings, ethereal voices and a chorus that effortlessly nags you into submission. Some backward taping leads lightly into 'Kashmere' which could be The Who in chill-out mode, but after three minutes it drags its feet more than a bit.

The intro to 'Bert’s Theme' promises some George Michael sass but delivers a more vulnerable vocal under a production that holds the attention. 'Ballroom' wears warm strings and chopped guitar to evoke memories of past pop triumphs. Similar strings pop up again in 'Black Rain' until it swerves off down a new wave avenue, with vocals that barely want to get out of bed.

'See-Saw' fades in to stamp playfully all over your ears in true Pet Shop Boys style, minus tongues in cheeks. 'It's A Boy' smacks of Neil Hannon without the wit but is beguiling enough in its own right. Somebody should play it to Jack L.

All told, Monaco is a useful little offering, but one that sounds as if minds were sometimes on other matters. In other words, it's not quite the full Monte Carlo.