Indies’ Top Ten, hosted by Mike Cameo at http://www.indiestop10.com and iTunes – has given us the HUGE honor of being included in the August 2008 Top Ten – POP! We are really jazzed to be a part of this group – take a listen for yourself – we think you’ll agree that the list offers some of the finest bands here on OurStage as well as other web music sites. I think you’ll immediately recognize several of the others on the list as artists you’ve voted for here! The proof is in the pudding folks – people are listening!

We’ll be on the flight to California this weekend. Be watching for us if you live out there. Of course we’ll be back to Boston for shows here and in New York. With any luck it will be sooner than later. Especially so if we win the competition for UFO Hefeweizen, the Harpoon Brewery. As you know we are in that Top Ten as well (it’s been a great summer for us!).

The winner of the 2008 Best UnFiltered Band Search will be announced on the newly launched UFO Hefeweizen website, www.UFOHefeweizen.com,on September 15th, 2008. Vote for this at the Harpoon Brewery website, www.harpoonbrewery.com

West Regional Conference Nov. 13-16, 2008: Ontario, CA For more info got to:

http://www.naca.org/NACA/Regions/West/WestShowcaseResults.htm

We are working to get this gig called the Austin City Limits Music Festival…it’s a voting situation.You can go directly to our page a vote-only once per email per day so it’s quick.

If you have the time and like our song “Let Go” would you take a minute and go to the following link and vote for us? Thanks! http://www.delllounge.com/soundandjury/?id=477a9861-22d7-4ba0-b740-60d4eab0dd95

p.s. Sorry – I guess it’s a cut and paste…doesn’t work as a link in here ????

Hey all…we are setting up a new email list specific to region so we can let everyone know when we are playing a show near them. We don’t want to bombard everyone with emails if our gig isn’t close to them (like the one below)! So, please drop us a line with your general location and email, i.e.: ME@gmail.com New York area

When we are playing in your specific area we can let you know without blasting everyone! Thanks…ZHB

...since we don’t have that going yet…here’s info on our show in New York coming up…..

We will be back at the Bitter End in NYC on Sat, July 26th! Make sure to come out, hang out, and get in on the funky grooves!

We go ON STAGE on 10:30, so please watch your clock, as they are strict about their performance times- and that’s when we’ll BE on stage!

www.zachhillyardband.com

http://www.bitterend.com/schedule. html

Thanks so much, see you on Saturday!

(PS – Stay tuned, we may have a special secret lined up on July 31st, so keep your calendar clear then too, and stay tuned for details : )

Performer’s Mag – Musician’s Resource

Zach Hillyard Band – Self-titled EP

Recorded and Engineered by Michael Woodrum at SoundMoves Audio in Burbank, CA, except for tracks 3 and 7 Recorded and Engineered by Wesley Cole Switzer at Firefly Recording in Cambridge, MA. Mastered by Nathan James at “The Vault Mastering Studios” in NY

Complete with lush, soulful melodies, head-bobbing grooves and funked out breakdowns that tastefully merge rock with soul, the Zach Hillyard Band possesses a clear sense of self despite this being their first official release. This innate confidence is a result of the well-conceived creations of songwriter/keyboardist Zach Hillyard. Pervasive lyrical themes revolve around the archetypal search to find one’s way through life and love, and are consistent with that of a young man (Hillyard) who recently concluded his apprenticeship at Berklee College of Music and is now prowling out into the world. The songs often evoke feelings of melancholy and uncertainty, but impressively, never of lament.

“Dharma Bum” and “Back For More” stand out with their infectious grooves that merge into unforgettable choruses, elevating both the sonic and thematic/lyrical import of the verses. And while “Dharma Bum” is an inherently cliché song title given the notoriety of Jack Kerouac’s seminal work of the same name, the vocal performance of Hillyard and the fleshed-out orchestration from his band wins over a skeptical listener almost immediately.

Adding a refreshing deviation to the rock/soul formula that drives the album is the samba-inspired tune “All The Same.” While this is a carefully chosen track designed to offer listeners an expanded sonic context, it delivers in showcasing the exceptional talents of the musicians and offers a more exploratory sound that should be exploited by the band in the future.

Rounding out the EP are two piano ballads (“Rain Like This” and “Gone”) that prove a fitting conclusion to the album. Rich orchestration and astounding vocal performances from guest Isabella Canana combine with Hillyard’s wistful baritone to offer a highly personal and evocative

glimpse into the mind and heart of one of New England’s most talented songwriters. (self-released)

www.zachhillyardband.com

- Michael Oliveri http://www.performermag.com/nep.recordedreviews.0807.php