Well to be frank this is still my least favorite Live album, except for maybe Birds of Pray, which too is a less than stellar work. With "V" Live remains Live, with a few added bells and whistles. The album brings with it the optimistic, lighter energy of "Distance", and if the album has one unquestionably positive characteristic, it's the energy -- it pulsates out of the album. Gone, however, is the general feeling of alternative/rock, replaced mostly with a nu-metal-esque sound that has replaced a lot of the guitars with a great deal of electronics and samples. If you thought "Distance" was overproduced, you're going to be sobbing when you hear "V".

But the thing is, this album did grow on me. My initial reaction wasn't unlike almost throwing up and having to swallow; I just couldn't belive what I was hearing. That said, once I (forced) myself to spin the CD a few times, the more positive elements did in fact shine through. Melodically, this is still a very strong work, and quite creative. The hooks, while not quite as impressive or long-lasting as Live's previous efforts, are there. The vocals and harmony are interesting and varied, and when tinkered with electronically, actually invite some welcome and novel musical soundscapes.

The downside is the songs aren't nearly as memorable as most of Live's others, they're mostly fun-in-the-moment ballads but don't linger on too much thereafter. The lyrics aren't terrible, but probably Ed's weakest of the bunch (sans "Birds of Pray", that is). Also, the second half of the album can't really hold up to the first, and going from "OK?" to "Overcome", as one reviewer put it, sounds like something out of production Hell.

But, all in all, it actually works. For a new direction, "V" sounds surprisingly confident, and I for one enjoy it for what it is.

What happened??
This is one of the worst cds I have ever purchased. Based on 'Throwing Copper' and 'The Distance To Here' I figured this album would be just as good. I was so dissapointed. I bought this cd mainly for the song 'Overcome', and it is the ONLY song on this entire cd that I like and that song is worth the 1 star that I give this lackluster effort. In fact it is the only song that I can listen to at all. The rest of this album sounds like a bunch of filler...the music just seems dead to me, like the band was reading off of cue cards or something. Maybe it is overproduction, maybe it is lack of emotion, but something is definitely missing from this album, especially compared to Live's previous releases. If you liked 'Throwing Copper' and 'The Distance to Here'...then DO NOT buy this album. I still consider myself a fan of Live...but I have to say that I am now a fan of their 'older stuff' since this album was/is such a dissapointment. The last straw for me was the very last track on the cd in which the leader singer attempts to rap...yes, that's right..Live playing a rap song...you can imagine how bad it sounds.

Light-years from Throwing Copper: not a good thing
V is more about attitude than content. Diving into the mystery that is the 21st century, Live changed their clothes, their haircuts, and their sound to make for a "hipper" image. Although a development process is essential for any band, the transformation that Live underwent for V is an embarrasing one. Instead of being an ambitious underground outfit from the midwest as they were once regarded, they turned into shallow, media-obsessed celebrities who tried very hard to dress like Metallica and party with movie stars in Los Angeles.

The music reflects this. And just as one might suspect, it walks a fine line between fair and terrible. With appearances from Tricky, filtered vocal effects, sampled instruments from Eastern continents, and lyrical depths that call upon late-night parties that involve "sweaty thongs and sweaty backs," almost all of V sounds like a huge commercial outing with no soul to speak of. Zip, zero, nada. It's hard to believe these were the same guys that made Throwing Copper, or even The Distance To Here.

While there are no great songs, parts of these songs sound decent. Transmit Your Love and Like A Soldier are examples of tunes that could have been much better if Live would have just followed their instinct. But we have to take V as it is. As for me, I can never listen to Forever May Not Be Long Enough without rolling my eyes.
When Live debuted in the mainstream in 1991, the band's earnest alt-rock effort Mental Jewelry balanced high-strung emotions with aggressive guitar work. On the band's fifth album, V, the earnestness has completely disappeared. Everything about this record feels forced and overproduced. Electronic beeps and loops swirl through songs like a U2 record gone bad. Guitar solos squeal in overarching metal-band style, and front man Ed Kowalczyk's vocals are so overdramatically pained, you can almost feel the veins popping off his neck for the most mundane subject matter. Even the band's use of Eastern influences feels slapped on, as in the intro to the nu-metal disaster "Like a Soldier." The guest appearance by Tricky--a partnership that only Kowalczyk's appearance on the last Tricky album can match in oddity--feels like nothing but a gimmick. What started out as a college rock act has sadly become just another attempt at grandiose sound with invisible substance. --Jennifer Maerz