Whether it be electric, acoustic, slide or lap steel, Tonic’s emphasis is clearly on guitars. But that doesn’t mean they are all about jamming.

“Sometimes we just feel it, sometimes we plan a jammy song,” guitarist Jeff Russo said about their live show. “But the songs are what’s important. We try to stick with the songs.”

The unfiltered sensitivity of Tonic’s well crafted songs make up their acclaimed debut Lemon Parade.

“They are all a reflection of all of us,” Russo said. “The songs are our children. We’ve all poured our hearts into them.”

The writing combo of Russo and vocalist Emerson Hart has been at work for five years. The two New York City friends formed Tonic in Los Angeles in 1993 with the addition of bassist Dan Rothchild and Kevin Shepard, whom they met playing at the Canter’s Kibitz Room in Hollywood.

“Emerson wrote seven of the songs on his own,” Russo said. “We wrote two together and the rest of the band collaborated for the rest. Emerson will usually write the chorus and melodies.”

Tonic formed behind the common ground of their deep appreciation for melody. Their style creatively mixes each of their influences, ranging from Led Zeppelin to Minor Threat. Russo described it as “a little dark, a little light.”

“It’s up and down,” he said. “It’s kind of dense, as far as thickness goes. It has an emotional feel to it.”

Tonic’s emotional songwriting has earned an abundance of radio play with the track “Open Up Your Eyes.” A successful video for the song and a soon to be released second single “Casual Affair,” are raising the band to new plateaus of fame.

“Everybody practices cautious optimism in this band,” Russo said.

“It’s hard to pay attention to that. It can be very stressful. Being on the road, we’re away from home and that is where the fame is. Hearing our song on the radio in other cities is pretty exciting.”

Tonic have been touring off and on for five and a half months, hitting venues as big as 18,000 or as small as 200.

The band recorded Lemon Parade in early 1995 with producer Jack Joseph Puig, who’s resume includes work with the Black Crowes, Belly and Jellyfish.

Rothchild has done production work of his own, most notably Better Than Ezra’s platinum debut Deluxe.

Tonic play People’s Bar and Grill tonight with Outhouse and Fireside at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $7. And don’t forget an ID.