- Bryon Harris
Leslie Craig - 'Paper in Fire'
Review by Brandon Watts & Staff
Leslie Craig’s “Paper in Fire” is an upbeat, rocking, country jam with a dynamic arrangement and killer vocals that will keep you engaged from start to finish. Pedaling bass keeps a tight rhythm with the percussion accompanied by twangy guitar melodies and energetic accents from strings. Smokey keys add a smoldering flavor. There's some hot bluegrass in the background as well.
Once Leslie enters, she takes the center stage with a rich, bold vocal timbre. The bluesy melodies are bolstered by male vocal harmonies that chime in occasionally.
With each transition, and each passing verse, Leslie and co. put more and more energy into the chorus allowing her to fully let go, giving an absolutely stunning vocal performance as she sings,
“Paper in fire, stinking up the ash trays Paper in fire, smoking’ up the alley ways Who’s to say the way a man should spend his days? Do you let him smolder, like paper in fire.”
"Paper in Fire" is a song about dreams going up in smoke by spending your best days with wasted with regretful ways. "He wanted love with no involvement so he chased the wind, that's all his silly life required."
Fueled by stellar instrumentals and belting vocal runs, “Paper in Fire” is a rocking musical experience that sticks with you as it works it's way through your musical veins . Even running at 5 minutes long, Leslie makes sure to bring something to the table through each section to grip her listeners. Her powerhouse performance is jaw-dropping.
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About Leslie Craig
Hailing from St. Louis, Missouri, Leslie Craig is a singer-songwriter who writes music influenced by rock, dance, country, and blues. Leslie is a lifelong musician and singer whose many years of performing experience included everything from duos to ten-piece bands, singing every genre of music. She was a resident at the world-famous Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, where she performed 5 nights a week and was joined onstage by Hank Williams Jr., Kris Kristofferson, Gavin DeGraw, Kix Brooks, Bobby Brown, and Jake Owen, among others. Tootsie's featured Leslie in their 50th anniversary concert at The Ryman Auditorium, where she shared the stage with Kristofferson, Jamey Johnson, Little Jimmie Dickens, Mel Tillis, and Randy Houser, to name a few.
While in Nashville, Leslie met Grammy producer Billy Smiley and the partnership resulted in Leslie's first full-length album, "Wild Card", which was released on iTunes in April 2013 and features 12 songs, 7 of which Leslie wrote or co-wrote. The song "Far Side of Jordan" is a great way to experience the ever-lasting beauty of Leslie Craig's music.