Hilary McRae, ''Through These Walls'' (Hear Music)
On the lovely ballad ''Waiting,'' when Hilary McRae sings ''You probably won't even like this song,'' she couldn't be more wrong.

McRae has a chance to make a big splash on her debut album, in part because she enjoys the backing of Starbucks Entertainment as the first developing artist on the company's Hear Music label. Also in her favor: She's a terrific talent, which ''Through These Walls'' makes clear.

The 21-year-old native of Boca Raton, Fla., is a PG-rated Amy Winehouse, channeling retro pop and R&B into something original. McRae sounds a little sound like Michael Jackson, Fiona Apple, Chicago, Jamie Cullum, Lisa Stansfield and Gloria Estefan, but mostly she sounds like a fully formed artist with a precocious knack for turning out distinctive, catchy tunes.

This Hilary's apolitical, her subject matter limited to the pursuit and heartache of romance. But there's plenty of range in the music _ punchy horns here, Latin percussion there, dance grooves in abundance and winning ballads, too.

McRae wrote all 12 songs and delivers them in a warm, husky alto, resisting the temptation to oversing that trips up so many ''American Idol'' wannabes. With music this good, McRae knows there's no need to showboat.

CHECK THIS OUT: ''Better Off Alone'' showcases McRae's composing skills. Horns and a rat-tat-tat chorus push the uptempo tune along, but the real payoff is a tempo change in the bridge that's sure to cause a pileup on the dance floor.

By STEVEN WINE Associated Press Writer

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