Kerrie Roberts was born on January 1, 1985. She released her self-titled debut album in
2010. It included the Top Ten hit ‘No
Matter What’, as well as ‘Outcast’. In
2013 she released TIME FOR THE SHOW, which included ‘What Are You Afraid
Of’. These first two albums were on
Reunion Records. Fast forward to March
2017 and she put out BOUNDLESS on Vital Records. It was produced by Chris Cron and executive
produced by Dottie Leonard Miller.
Kerrie shares: “I want listeners to have those moments of complete
focus, peace and love and joy whenever you are experiencing the presence of
God. We know that lives are changed,
hearts are changed, and our bodies are changed by His presence. That would be the definition of success for
me for this album; if people experience His presence and have their lives
changed with a bit of a taste of Heaven”.
Starting things off is ‘Life in the Name’, a pop song of
encouragement: “Even in our struggle, we don’t have to tremble/We know where to
find our hope/There’s home, there’s heart/We remember who we are/There’s life
in the Name, life in the Name/We’re free to fly/No fear of earth or sky/There’s
life in the Name, life in the Name/Of Jesus, Jesus”. Chris Cron, Aaron Rice, and Kerrie wrote
‘Hold On To You’. I like the dance beat
of the song, but the chorus sounds like a children’s song: “I can hold on, I
can hold on/I can hold on to You/Cause You hold on, cause You hold on/Hold on
to me, hold on to me”.
The title track, ‘Boundless’, is one of three songs on the
album written by Chris Cron, Krissy Nordhoff, and Kerrie. It is adult contemporary in nature and
declares God’s goodness: “There’s no shore to the ocean of Your love/No ceiling
or floor to the power of Your blood/You are boundless, You’re boundless/There’s
no wall that Your mercy cannot break/There’s no heart that Your hands can’t
shape/You are boundless, You’re boundless”.
‘Echo of the Ages’ was penned by Chuck Butler, Kerrie, and Tony
Wood. It’s a pretty modern worship
ballad: “The echo of the ages resounds before Your throne/Glory, all glory be
to You and You alone/Our song of worship rises with the saints who’ve gone
before/The echo of the ages/Holy is the Lord!”
Justin Morgan is a co-writer on ‘Rooted’, a lovely song of
personal testimony: “No, I won’t be moved when the world tries to bend me/I’m
firmly grounded in truth that has saved me/Jesus, You saved me/And I will ever
be rooted in You, God/Ever be rooted in You, Lord/Ever be rooted in You”. ‘By Your Grace’ is a worship song with a
poetic chorus: “Your voice is never silent/Your love is never still/And only
You reach far enough to save/Your Word is never empty/Your mercy’s new as
spring/Your promise is forever and always/It’s only by Your grace/You break
every chain/You meet us face to face/Only by Your grace”.
A David Thulin Radio Edit of the album’s next song ‘True
North’ was released as a single. The
album version is a great pop/dance number singing God’s praises: “I look around
at all the mystery/All the world reveals Your glory/Resounding with a shout of praise/Igniting,
Your love lights the way/All my longings point to You (2X)/My true north/You
give my life direction/You’re my true north/Your heart is my obsession/And
wherever You lead me/I am following/My true north”. A laid back version of the church classic
‘Nothing But the Blood’ follows. It
includes these iconic lyrics: “Nothing can for sin atone/Nothing but the blood
of Jesus/Naught of good that I have done/Nothing but the blood of Jesus/Oh,
precious is the flow/That makes me white as snow/No other fount I know/Nothing
but the blood of Jesus”.
Matt Armstrong, Benji and Jenna Cowart, and Kerrie wrote
‘Where My Heart Belongs’. It has a folk
music feel to it and declares loyalty to Christ: “I will not build on sinking
sand/I will not chase each passing wind/My hope is Jesus, nothing less/I know
Your love will never rest.../I’m standing where my heart belongs/The Solid
Rock, this is my home/My soul will sing and through it all/You are where my
heart belongs (2X)”. Last up is ‘The
Answer’, a forgettable song: “You are the answer/My freedom, my homeland, my
proof/The ground that I dance on/Inspiring unshakeable truth/The whisper, the
thunder that I can’t refuse/You are the answer/The answer is always You”.
There are several strengths this album, BOUNDLESS, has. First and foremost, one cannot help but
acknowledge that Kerrie Roberts is a strong, talented vocalist. She’s likely one of the best current female
vocalists in the CCM market. The
background and gang vocals are also a strength on the album. Secondly, Kerrie’s Christian faith comes
through loud and clear. She desires to
be completely surrendered to Christ and to praise God both in the good and the
bad times. Thirdly, the music is
contemporary in sound, whether we are talking pop or worship. Young adults will
enjoy the musical sounds presented here.
Unfortunately there is a big downside to the album. The lyrics lack depth and creativity as far
as artistry goes. Kerrie doesn’t say
anything on this album that a mass of other worship artists haven’t already
been saying and singing about for several years now. In other words, there is nothing that sets
this album apart message-wise. In my
opinion, the two best tracks are #7 and #8 (True North and Nothing But the
Blood). Next time around, I’d like to
see Kerrie put out an album that lyrically deals with things like male-female
relationships, addictions, self-esteem struggles, suicide, peer pressure, the
challenges of being a Christian in today’s society, etc. I’m rating BOUNDLESS 80%. For more info visit: www.kerrieroberts.com.