“The Best of Bottleneck” is a stellar compilation that confirms Australian artist Christina Crofts as one of the most genuine and powerful voices in contemporary blues-rock. The album serves as a masterclass of her slide guitar virtuoso performance, proving exactly why she has been compared to icons like Rory Gallagher and Lucinda Williams. From the high-octane opening of “Voodoo Queen”, the record sets a gritty, straight-ahead rock tone that rarely lets up.

Crofts makes her guitar “talk” through vocal and organic phrasing, where technique is always at the service of emotion and storytelling. Although boogie rhythms and high-voltage blues prevail, the album also offers more measured nuances in tracks like “Lookin’ Back On You,” that provide a necessary counterpoint to the overall intensity of the recording.

Produced by her longtime collaborator Steve Crofts, it highlights a swampy, low-down blues club sound, capturing an energy that feels raw and visceral. Tracks like “Lucy” inject a shot of classic 1950’s rock ‘n’ roll, while the instrumental closing song “Escape to Blue” proves her status as an accomplished performer.

“The Best of Bottleneck” is more than just a standard greatest hits collection; it is a solid statement of a career devoted to reviving blues roots with a fierce attitude and remarkable sensibility.