Viv M showcased at A&R Online.

ViV recently released their sophomore album, Flawed, and was the featured artist on www.awarestore.com, which helped launch the careers of such artists as John Mayer, Train and Matchbox Twenty. The highly anticipated follow up to the band's 2001 self-titled debut is already garnering critical acclaim from peers and industry representatives alike. "ViV has all the elements-songs, instrumentation, atmosphere," says former Train member Rob Hotchkiss. "If you're a ViV fan, you'll love where the band is going with this record. If not, you'll still love where the band is going with this record."

While the major labels keep merging and focusing on a select few artists, the streets have become flooded with more great bands than ever, and ViV is one of them. While there is a Pete-Yorn-meets-Foo-Fighters current running through their music, there is also a Brit-pop melodic sensibility and a feel-good factor that add dimension to the overall package.

Since their inception, ViV has been establishing themselves at the forefront of independent music in San Francisco and other markets such as Denver, Salt Lake City, Boston and New York, playing over 200 shows in the past two years. They were chosen in Cornerband's "30 Best Bands" competition, and have had over 450,000 downloads off of their website. The bulk of those have been "Friends," slated as the first single from Flawed. Making these songs available to fans was the litmus test that yielded the results necessary for the band to continue funding the project themselves. As front man and singer/songwriter Matt Ostrander said, "It gave us the emotional bump we needed to make this album happen." It also didn't hurt that their debut had sold over 8,000 units.

Flawed was co-produced by ViV, with help from David Cole (Melissa Etheridge), Adam Rossi (LUCE) and Thom Canova. Ostrander is joined by Erik Semo on bass; Pie on violin, mandolin and guitar; Steve Bowman (Counting Crows, Third Eye Blind, LUCE) on drums; and Dan Eisenberg (Ryan Adams, Shelby Lynne) on keys. Guest musicians include Dave Immergluck (Counting Crows) and Bruce Kaphan (American Music Club).

Flawed has one thing that most records lack-you can actually listen to the whole thing, and never tire of it. There are artists like John Mayer and Norah Jones that have come along in the last few years and have made the jump from average Joe to pop icon. ViV is a band that, armed with a great new record, has that kind of potential.

"The new music ViV is sharing with the world is bright and pleasing to the ears - it's nice to hear melodies. There is so much crap out there, and this ain't crap. Can I say crap?"-Renee Richardson, KFOG 104.5 FM Morning Show

"Tremendous! A true piece of art with several guaranteed radio hits!"-Dave Precheur, co-founder of H.O.R.D.E Festival and former road manager for Blues Traveler