Hilary McRae - Through These Walls

May 20, 2008

Hilary McRae recorded her first demo at sixteen and gained acceptance to the Berklee College of Music on the strength of an original song. Though an industry newcomer, the artist and her voice sound like old friends. The two conspire on an album that features a stunning mix of jazz, contemporary pop and old-school, horn-drenched R&B. Hilary, also an accomplished pianist and vocalist, penned all of the album’s songs. Her style reminds me of Maroon 5, and that’s not bad at all. I also like the fact that each instrument sounds like it was recorded live and not from a beat machine or music software. I think I can say that my favorite song on the album is “Why Can’t Now” mainly because of the minor chords being played throughout the song. “Let’s Stop” is beautiful - it reminds me Jill Scott, something that she would sing. For more information on Hilary, please visit her official website.