Hilary McRae

In 2006, Starbucks bought Hear Music, an established record label known for putting out compilation CDs of music from established, and often unheard of, artists. Basically, a label that put out cool mix-CDs of music you need to know about. Last Fall, Starbucks presented the "iTunes free song of the day" promotion in an effort to get customers to come in everyday, even when maybe they didn't need a coffee, but did want to get the free music. As you can imagine, I was one of those people both looking for coffee and looking for free, legal music. It was through one of these free downloads, of the terrific song "Consider Me Gone," that I discovered Hilary McRae and I've been waiting for this CD to come ever since.

Hilary McRae is the first new artist signed by Starbucks-- and she is worthy the honor of sharing a label with Paul McCartney and Carley Simon- she is a next generation singer-songwriter. At 22 years old, my other favorite Hilary (but with one L), is a Berklee School of Music graduate and wrote every song on this album, Through These Walls. Yep, unlike the karoke singing, song stealing wannabes on Idol, Hilary created her own classics. The result is super catchy pop music dripping with great horns, keyboards and guitar. If the unique polished sound was not enough, then comes her voice- emotional and playful at the same time- and a voice that so does not match her looks as it is pretty soulful and borders R&B. Tracks 1-2-3 and 6-7-8-9 are can't get it outta my head catchy. Think a girl version of the 70s rock group Chicago meets Shelby Lynn meets Michelle Branch meets Joss Stone.

Please buy this CD and help make this Hilary a star so she can pay off her student loans to Berklee.