bootleg tonic: Press

Bootleg Tonic
CD Review
By Kim Thore

Move over Norah Jones, there's a new voice in town and she is nipping at your heels. That voice is Georgiana Trent of "Bootleg Tonic" and her voice is indeed a tonic, a fresh stimulant and a shot in the arm for your musical soul to heal. Besides Jones, comparisons run rampant to Stephanie Morgan of Stephanie's Id, Tiffany Shea or even a less artificial Aguilera but at the end of track 11, the overwhelming and irresistible feel is this chick knows how to deliver a song on the edge of a dime with precision and emotion that resonates, over and over again.

So what are the ingredients of a Bootleg Tonic? Simplicity rules here as the two main elements are singer Georgiana Trent and Eran Taviv. "Volume I" is the first Bootleg Tonic record and it displays the band, their "this could be my life" stories, and a bluesy-soulful sound that drips over you like room temperature honey.

The whole opposites attract theory is well proven as Georgiana and Eran are from opposite sides of the world (Texas USA, and Tel Aviv, Israel respectively), yet their chemistry is undeniable and after some impressive production, they have managed to "bottle" a product that is tasty, mouth watering and most importantly - filling.

Volume I is given even more flavor with the addition of guest performers such as organ player Ivan Neville (Rolling Stones, The Neville Brothers), and drummer Jerry Krenach (Lou Reed, Chris Whitley).

Most notable Tracks? 1 through 11 as there are no fillers, unnecessary additives or dyes…

This is pure, organic, solid soul and melodic medicine.

In short, it will cure what ails you.

Bootleg Tonic
Country of origin:

U.S. and Israel

Type of music generally:

Bluesy soulful pop

Status:

Most recent release, Volume 1 (2008)

See also:

Bootleg Tonic's site

Bootleg Tonic's MySpace page

Comparisons:

Definitely up there with the best of blues pop, Joplin and all

Covers/own material:

Own

General comments:

Bluesy, soulful, rock. Singer Georgiana Trent have a powerful, evocative voice utterly perfect for this style of music and Eran Taviv is a creative musician. Together they make some of the best blues pop I've ever heard. (sophiagurley@hotmail.com)

Recommended first album:

Volume 1 is their debut

Recordings:

Volume 1 (2008)

Volume 1
Release info:

2008—Bluepoint Entertainment

Availability:

Bootleg Tonic's site

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended for fans of blues-based pop/rock

Group members:

Georgiana Trent—vocals
Eran Taviv—acoustic guitars, electric guitars, Rhodes, tambourine, drum programming, organ, classical guitar, wah guitar

Guest artists:

Ivan Neville—organ B3
Jerry Krenach—drums, cymbal, hi-hat
Jamba—bass
Israel Nachum—drums (10)
Lior Shoshan—shaker (10)

Produced by:

Georgiana Trent and Eran Taviv

Comments:

If you like blues-based pop/rock, this is a brilliant album. The songwriting is strong, Georgiana Trent's vocals are irresistable, and the musicanship throughout is strong. I'm not usually a fan of this style of music and this album totally won me over. An impressive debut. (sophiagurley@hotmail.com)

BOOTLEG TONIC - VOLUME I

Bootleg Tonic is a terrific duo, featuring singer, Georgiana Trent, and guitarist, Eran Taviv. Volume I is their debut album and it is amazing. The opener, "When It All Goes Down," flows seamlessly into the second track, "Haven't You Heard," a blues rock song with soulful, angelic vocals. "Give It To Me Slowly" shows off Georgiana's extensive range. "Hard Times" has a catchy chorus and features Ivan Neville on B3 Organ. He also performs on several other tracks. Bootleg Tonic's style is a little diverse. "Scars" is a sweet, wistful acoustic ballad, while "Love You More" gets kind of funky. "I've Had Enough" has a definite pop tone to it. Volume I also contains some poignant lyrics. For example, on "Spinning" Georgiana sings, "People have always been the same/They won't change anything/They'd give a million for a stone/Not a dollar for your soul." Definitely worth checking out!

BOOTLEG TONIC - VOLUME I

The duo of Georgiana Trent and Eran Taviv deliver a beautifully mellow and reflective bluesy gem of a low-key album. Trent’s supremely hoarse and throaty voice projects anguish and heartbreak with extremely bracing and affecting directness. Taviv’s tight and understated guitar playing greatly adds to the delicate intimacy of the songs without ever becoming remotely show-offy or obtrusive. The slow tempos and gradual beats are both suitably laid-back, thereby further enhancing the soulful soothing quality of the music. Better still, there’s a pleasingly smart and thoughtful mature adult sensibility at work in the terse, but insightful lyrics. Moreover, the arrangements are spare and stripped-down, with no needless tricked-up razzle-dazzle getting in the way of the arrestingly simple, yet tuneful melodies. Bootleg Tonic are a couple of adults who have relevant things to say about the human condition. It’s this refreshingly grown-up no-nonsense attitude which in turn makes this excellent album one to relish.