Following up the 2009 release of Parkdale, Heavy Falls the Night captures Toronto’s Elizabeth Shepherd at her finest as a vocalist, pianist, lyricist and producer. The 11 tracks, encompassing such diverse styles as jazz, pop and hip-hop, are influenced by equally contrasting artists, namely Alice Coltrane, Stevie Wonder and Beethoven. Seven Bucks is music at its liveliest and On the Insufficiency of Words displays vocal flow, an optimistic beat and haunts the listener with magic and poetry. The album draws to a close with a terribly sweet take on Kenny Loggins’s Danny’s Song. Within the album lies an eclectic array of experience and message. No two songs sound quite the same and it is through poetic lyricism and a peaceful nature that the creative spirit of Elizabeth Shepherd is truly set free.

Published in Volume 65, Number 1 of The Uniter (September 2, 2010)