Hannah Kerr

Hannah Kerr

By Jeremy Henderson
TAB Music Reviewer

“Overflow”
Black River Entertainment, 2016

Twenty-year-old Hannah Kerr’s 2015 debut extended play (EP), “I Stand Here,” was well received.

Her follow-up debut album, “Overflow,” should be embraced.

It starts off catchy — really catchy. Almost Katy Perry catchy. Though not as in your face, “Warrior” almost has the same sort of anthemic structure that made Perry’s “Roar” so addictive. The songs even share a similar message of personal empowerment.

Perry has the eye of the tiger. Kerr has Christ.

“You’ll never stop me, I’m a warrior. When I fall down I get stronger. My faith is my shield, Your love is the armor.”

You’ll like it — and there are still 10 tracks to go. Some are pop-like. Some are solemn. Some, like the great title track, are both. Stylistically they’re nothing new, but if an album works they don’t need to be. Her comments make me think she feels the same way.

“Musically I want what pours out of me to be the overflow of what God is pouring into me,” she wrote on her website before the album’s release. “It’s not about my ability or my talent, but about letting God pour truth and wisdom into me and then writing and singing songs that matter.”

Lucky us.

Lyrically “Overflow” is solid (“I want to dance to the beat of Your glory. I want to sing Your redemption song.”) Vocally, it’s spot on throughout.

Kerr has been singing publicly since she was five (mostly in church — her father is a worship leader) and sounds like it. Her voice is powerful yet soothing; soulful yet unpretentious.

The record wraps up in a great duet with Casting Crowns lead vocalist Mark Hall, who is one of Kerr’s mentors.

He has to be proud.