Elizabeth Shepherd has long been known for playful exploration that pushes the boundaries of jazz music, and The Signal is another shining example of this creative mindset. While there are no clear love ballads or songs that demand to be danced to on the album, Shepherd creates an infectious rhythmic groove which she combines with lyrics that address a wide range of social issues. She credits her new experiences as a mother for this earnest, sincere lyrical direction, saying that motherhood has changed her “perspective on life, the world and (her) role in it.” As such, she addresses the exploitation of women in Africa (“Lions Den”), environmental devastation (“BT Cotton”) and racial profiling (“Another Day”) just as comfortably as she explores motherhood and the role of women in the world today. The Signal demonstrates once again how talented Shepherd is as a songwriter, musician and composer. She masterfully mixes her own breathy, beautiful voice, the words of historical figures and remarkably complex instrumentation across an album that demands to be listened to from start to finish. (Linus Entertainment, elizabethshepherd.com) Danielle Marion