Their new album, ‘Neighbor Songs,’ is the culmination of the efforts of more than 50 musical artists and religious experts.
In the depths of your sorrow I wept beside you
When you walked through the shadow I drew you near
Yesterday, today, tomorrow — always the same
I am the Lord, I am the Lord
At the beginning of 2019, Audrey Assad teamed up with Porter’s Gate, a sacred ecumenical arts collective, to collaborate on their second album, Neighbor Songs. Together with Paul Zach, who sings with Assad in the video featured above, and Isaac Wardell, co-founder of Porter’s Gate, Assad penned the new, beautiful and reflective song “Nothing to Fear.”
The song is a musical masterpiece and the care that went into its design is apparent by the subtle elements that make it stand out. The soft accompaniment on the Fender Rhodes piano complements the stringed instruments, which together produce a tone that is deeply comforting and perfectly suited to the song’s subject matter. Zach’s vocal similarly complements Assad’s lilting, emotional voice and their harmonies are perfectly arranged.
Isaac and Megan Wardell brought Porter’s Gate to fruition in 2017, when they drew together a wide range of religious artists to create their first album, Work Songs, and now in 2019, “Nothing to Fear” is a part of their second album, Neighbor Songs. The new record is the culmination of the efforts of more than 50 songwriters, musicians, scholars, pastors and music industry professionals, from all walks of Christian life.
Hallel News reports that these artists and professionals met for a three-day collective session, during which many of the songs were written on the spot or began to take shape. The goal of Porter’s Gate’s project was to compose new worship songs and hymns after analyzing modern-day challenges from the differing perspectives of all their associates, reflecting on the call to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.
Issac Wardell spoke to Hallel about the project, stating:
“We were so pleased to have so many songwriters who spoke different languages and came from such different worship traditions all sitting around tables and learning from one another and writing new worship music together,” shares Isaac Wardell. “We hope that the result is something that will be really useful to churches looking to welcome in neighbors of all backgrounds.”
The whole album, Neighbor Songs, was released on October 25, 2019. Take a look at Porter’s Gate’s Spotify page to hear the whole album and bask in the music of some of the most talented songwriters in Christian music.
