Googling Dalton’s name, I came across one of those beautiful misnomers that are the fruit of these technologically illogical days - a hit at paganmeetup.com. Of course, it wasn’t the same Jenny, but it’s not so far fetched as it immediately seemed. While nobody can quite agree on pagan’s exact origin or meaning, the word connotes a divergence from the established Christian religious norm, an earth goddessness that parallels the high drama and spiritual pith of Dalton’s jaggedly personal piano compositions. Going a step further, “meet-up” reverberates along with the lyrical obsession of Dalton’s debut - her relationship with a soldier deployed to war-ravaged Iraq. So while Fleur de Lily’s songs may not all hinge on this fatalistic, romantic bent, an undertone of melancholy persists. It’s that sadness that gives them a gravitas more often earned after years of quiet suffering and the cumulative strength that comes from lived experience.
~ Larry O. Dean
