Article By: Anna Dinger
Audrey Assad is set to release her third full-length studio album, 'Fortunate Fall,' on August 13.
The new album was funded through Kickstarter in the Spring of 2013. In just 50 hours Assad and her fans were able to reach her goal of $40,000, and were ultimately able to finish off the fund raising with almost 200% of the original goal.
The new album features songs for liturgy, personal prayer, and corporate worship. It will feature eleven tracks that are seperated into three distinct movements. The movements explore man's need for God, the humility of Christ and the light of the Holy Spirit, which has the power to reveal God's love for us. The new album deals with themes such as the beauty of human need and imperfection, which ultimately allows us to know God in the form of Christ, our Redeemer, as well as the Holy Spirit, our Revealer. The album was influenced by elements such as Anglican choral tradition, harmonic hymns and the Catholic liturgy and charismatic prayer that Audrey was exposed to from a young age.
On her Tumblr account, Assad explained the meaning behind the title of her upcoming album. "'Fortunate Fall' is a version of the Latin phrase, 'felix culpa', which can be translated in several ways-'o happy fault' is a common one, as is 'fortunate fall,'" she wrote. "'Felix culpa' is employed most often in the Exsultet, a prayer sung every year at Easter Vigil Mass. It is derived from the writing of Augustine on original sin-he says, 'For God judged it better to bring good out of evil than not to permit any evil to exist.'"
Assad wrote that she chose this name after she had experienced 'several seasons of suffering'. "I am awed and frustrated by turns at the wisdom of God, at the mind of God-I cannot help but keep staring, but I can never get a good look at it. I have no doubt I shall spend the rest of my life wrestling with the idea that God would judge it better to bring good out of evil, than never to permit evil to exist," she wrote.
This concept, however, allows God to be the one true Redeemer. "No matter how ugly or brutal or seemingly beyond all hope life may present itself to be, one very deep and lovely Truth of Christianity is that Jesus is making, and will make, all things new. He is changing evil into Good. I cling to that, even when I can't find the strength to believe it, because it is possibly the most beautiful thing I have ever heard," Assad wrote. She hopes to be able to communicate this feeling of awe and utter amazement through her new album.
Assad is an independent singer/songwriter/musician who has a great passion for 'extolling the peculiarities and joys of the Sacrament'. The church is an important part of her life and she plays music at her home church in Nashville, TN. This new album will mark her third full-length studio album and it follows behind her very successful 2012 album, 'Heart,' which featured her popular song, 'Sparrow.'
She has released the cover art for her upcoming album, a work of art that was designed and photographed by Benjamin Lee. She has also released her new super single tracks, 'Good To Me' and her exclusive B track, 'Come Thou Font,' for free to fans via Noise Trade. 'Good To Me,' is set to appear on her upcoming album.
"I have labored and I have wept and I have truly slaved under the burden of this thought, this music, and these lyrics. I can't wait for August 13. :) Thank you as always for your support and kindness. You make it all possible, friends." Assad wrote on Tumblr.
The full track listening for 'Fortunate Fall' is as follows [according to Christian Music Zine]:
1. Fortunate Fall
2. Help My Unbelief
3. Humble
4. O Happy Fault
5. Lead Me On
6. I Shall Not Want
7. Good To Me
8. Felix Culpa
9. Spirit of the Living God
10. Lead, Kindly Light
11. You Speak
