What's currently the best thing in Wigan? If you answered "Paul Jewell", then you're correct. However, if you said The V.Cs, you get kudos points for name-checking one of the best bands to emerge from the north-west area during the past few years.
This is bleep-pop at its most geeky and obsessive denominator. Think about the greats - Devo and The B52's - and throw in a couple of today's class acts - The Magnificents, for example - and set the result to a Ray Harryhausen movie and you have the basic premise of The V.Cs' sound. 'Nice Place...' is as complex as a tea spoon, with basic lyrical content mixed with catchy Casio tunage and repetitive riffs, topped by sighing female backing vocals. 'Clones' is a reminder of the band's old sound - part surfer rock and part Data Panik. This is no bad thing, I assure you!
This is as cult and 'indie' as it gets (promo pics printed out at ASDA is a sure sign of the DIY ethic!). Be warned: if you do buy this limited-edition (500 copies) single, you may find yourself dancing around your room wearing a lab coat sooner than you think.