The second LP by California rock n roll unit Spice expands their palette of damaged anthems and addiction poetics with a more bristling, visceral sound, distilled from years in the trenches of bands, break-ups, and breakdowns. Singer Ross Farrar explains their chemistry succinctly: "We all got in a room and this is what came out." Viv is named for a precursor project of bassist Cody Sullivan and violinist Victoria Skudlarek, but also alludes to broader notions of vividness, sonic, visual, and otherwise. Engineered by Jack Shirley and mixed/mastered by Sam Pura in Oakland, the mix achieves that rare balance of every element being elevated but distinct, with voices, strings, and drums each given space to blaze parallel paths. Opener "Recovery" captures Spice at their stormy, weathered best, booming drums and East Bay riffs skidding out in a rockslide of rapture, regret, and bruised melody ("You sacrifice perfect days to laugh through the night / you have to get out of bed / and it's hard / and it's hard / it's so hard to admit"), peaking in Ian Simpson's poignant single-note vibrato guitar solo; Farrar agrees: "The guitar says what we cannot." Other tracks embrace the group's shredded pop potential ("Any Day Now," "Dining Out," "Live Scene") and their speedway ripper mode ("Threnody"), with detours into oblique instrumentals ("Melody Drive") and orchestral balladeering ("Ashes In The Birdbath"). But what unites and ignites these songs across different energies and arrangements is their specific sense of emotion. Rawness refined into reckonings, approaching truth, born of cold mornings, bad luck, and too many wrong turns. Waking up where you're not supposed to be, living a life you don't recognize. The album ends with no end to it's narrative, still fighting, still slipping. Farrar calls "Climbing Down The Ladder" a "relapse song - telling people you're okay but you're still fucking up." Heartbeat drums march under heartbroken guitars in an elegant downward spiral of defeat, delusion, and desperate hope, dreamed more than believed: "I said it was the last time / but I was up so high / 100 miles / 1000 miles / no me in sight / I saw into the next life / I wasn't dead / I felt so vivid in the next life."
Release date:
June 17, 2022
Label:
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Vevor Ultrasonic Cleaner
Thoroughly clean and restore your vinyl records, removing dust, dirt, and grime from every groove without damaging the surface
-
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO
Featuring a one-piece carbon fiber tonearm, precision-tuned motor, and a heavy steel platter with TPE damping, it ensures superior stability and sound quality.
-
Cartridges - Top Picks
A selection of turnatble cartridges that provide great performance and sound quality
-
Turntables - Top Picks
A selection of reliable record players you can buy today, for every budget
-
Edifier R1280DB Powered Speakers
Combining classic design with modern Bluetooth connectivity, built-in amplification and versatile inputs, these speakers deliver rich, balanced sound.
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
L.A. Guns Leopard Skin
Cleopatra Records
August 1, 2025 -
John Prine Lost Dogs + Mixed Blessings [2xLP]
Oh Boy
September 12, 2025 -
Miles Kane Sunlight In The Shadows (Blue Skies)
Easy Eye Sound
October 17, 2025 -
Cave In The Sacrifice Poles
Relapse
August 15, 2025 -
Hunx and His Punx Walk Out On This World
Get Better Records
August 22, 2025 -
Deftones Private Music (Amazon Exclusive)
Reprise
August 22, 2025 -
James Morrison Fight Another Day (White)
Cooking Vinyl
October 3, 2025 -
Cochemea Vol III: Ancestros Futuros
Daptone Records
September 26, 2025 -
Grant-Lee Phillips In the Hour of Dust (Signed; Clear Golden Smoke)
Yep Roc Records
September 5, 2025 -
Jonas Brothers Greetings From Your Hometown (Cobalt Blue)
Republic Records
August 8, 2025 -
Tops Bury the Key (Green/Yellow)
Ghostly Int'l
August 22, 2025 -
Various Artists The Black Album
Cleopatra Records
August 8, 2025 -
No Joy Bugland
Victory Pool Inc.
August 8, 2025 -
Sabaton Legends
Better Noise Music
October 17, 2025