For eight years, the Porter’s Gate, a collection of artists writing worship songs for the church, has been creating themed albums with songs that feature thoughtful lyrics and singable melodies designed for use in churches. This music is unlike much of the very popular modern worship music, that often focuses on repetition and big emotional hooks. In contrast, this latest offering from Porter’s Gate, Table Songs, focuses on the Lord’s Table as well as other food-related biblical themes.
The music is primarily acoustic folk-rock, but on this record, the influence of music from the Black church is more evident. The songs “Daily Bread,” “Satisfied,” and “O Taste and See” are wonderful examples of this. These are gentle devotional songs with a gospel flavor that is uplifting and infectious.
There are many highlights on this album, with the gentle and brief “Take and Eat” and the closing song “Thank You (If the Only Words I Ever Pray)” as standouts. Albums from Porter’s Gate are useful for personal listening or for use in worship. Table Songs is another fine example. (Integrated Music Rights)
About the Author
Robert Keeley is professor of education at Calvin College and director of distance education at Calvin Seminary.