Viv - Flawed

  by Philip Vincent

published: 23 / 7 / 2004

---

Review

When the first track opened, I thought this band was British. They have a definite Supergrass/Blur quality and similar melodic solid. As the record progressed a more Americanised element definitely entered with close harmonies akin to the Beach Boys and quite obvious references to Counting Crows and many other US pop rock bands. Now these Radio friendly unit shifters (thank you Mr Cobain) aren’t really my style, but there is something different about this band. Some of their songs have a definite melancholic feel, which is very rarely seen in this genre (especially the second track 'Did I?') Viv's press release says they have a sound taken from British and American elements which at first I felt was a bit of a dubious claim. As I listened though I realised that in actual fact this is very true and in a way that isn’t contrived or obvious. When I was trying to sum this up to a friend of mine I struggled really hard until I eventually came up with this final thought. It's Sunday morning> You are watching TV and on comes 'Dawson’s Creek' (or in fact a multitude of other American teen dramas. The music over the end scene when two of them get together/break up/go to college etc etc is this band. Not necessarily a good or bad thing, but in the UK’s music market the niche isn’t there. In the US they will clear up!

Track Listing:-

1 Friends
2 Did I
3 Flawed
4 Suzanne's One Good Eye
5 Bob Dylan Said
6 Shine
7 Green
8 Suffer
9 Out of the Rain