ALBUM REVIEW: Viv – Spice
We’ve clearly been having a bit of a moment for 90s nostalgia lately. Over the past 12 months alone the likes of TURNSTILE, DRUG CHURCH, PUP, PUPPY and many others have all released quality records that have borrowed to varying degrees from the many fascinating sounds and aesthetics of the decade. Viv by SPICE definitely fits that bill as well. The second album from the Californian alternative rockers arrives this Friday via Dais Records, and it’s a record that feels both comfortingly familiar and enjoyably fresh at the same time.
In comparison to the bands mentioned, SPICE definitely sit on the lighter end of the spectrum. For the most part, Viv is a warm and dreamy record, with most of its ten tracks bathed in a shoegazey haze that proves a real delight to get lost in. There is a bit of a punky edge here too, with tracks like the opening pair of Recovery and lead single Any Day Now both boasting a steady driving energy. These kick the record off brilliantly, a feel-good double header of indie-punk anthems ready-made for a summer’s barbecue or a run in the sun. Third track Ashes In The Birdbath rounds out this strong opening trifecta in slightly more laidback fashion, this one giving plenty of space for violinist Victoria Skudlarek to shine in particular.
Indeed, Viv remains immersive and inviting from start to finish. Skuldarek’s violin work often adds a touch of beauty, this regularly playing off the jangly and intricate contributions of guitarists Ian Simpson and Michael Bingham. Together with the tight rhythm section of bassist Cody Sullivan and drummer Jake Casarotti, they provide a rich and dynamic backdrop for vocalist Ross Farrar’s typically slacker-esque delivery. On sixth track Dining Out for example, he delivers a simple chorus of “This life’s too long” in between the swinging groove of the song’s more energetic verses. It’s the first of another double-headed peak, with Live Scene following to provide perhaps the record’s most stirringly anthemic hook of all (“If I’m here, then you’re here / It’s such a live scene”).
Crucially though, Viv isn’t a one-note record. Surely the most obvious deviation from the band’s more melodic fare is fourth track Threnody – a sub-two-minute blast of urgent and angular noise rock that sees Farrar muster a bit more menace as he sneers “I don’t dream about you anymore”. That one’s followed by the quieter Melody Drive – another two-minuter that essentially provides an interlude of gentle bass and violins backing some sort of muffled conversation. Moments like these keep Viv moving along at a solid pace, its 31-minute runtime pretty much flying by. Perhaps the only track that really struggles – and that’s if we’re being harsh – is Vivid; it’s the longest song on the record, and arguably the moodiest, and as a result it’s the only moment where the band feel like they might lose just a hair of their otherwise impressive momentum.
Fortunately however, the hook-laden indie of recent single Bad Fade and the anthemic post-punk of Climbing Down The Ladder soon arrive to end the album on a final pair of highlights. With that, they bring to close a record that’s so easy to like. The product of the band just getting in a room together and seeing what comes out, Viv’s energy is infectious – to the point that it’s hard not to listen to this two or three times in a row every time you hit play. The bar might be quite high for albums like this at the moment, but SPICE have absolutely no problems reaching it. Stick this on and let it lift your spirits – you won’t regret it.
Rating: 8/10
Viv is set for release on May 20th via Dais Records.
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