Doyle Lawson
is probably the leading figure in
bluegrass-gospel
music at the beginning of the 21st century. But as he's demonstrated several times over the course of the last decade, his talent isn't limited to the strict
bluegrass
genre -- he (along with the bands he has led for roughly 30 years now) is just as comfortable in other
gospel
music styles, and though
He Lives in Me
sticks mostly to the
mainstream, there are several moments when he departs noticeably, and rewardingly, from that path. In recent years, guitarist and lead singer
Jamie Dailey
has become a more and more central part of the
Quicksilver
sound, and both his clear, powerful voice and his songwriting are a major part of this album's appeal. It's also great to see the return of
Terry Baucom
, whose rock-solid banjo picking is another significant selling point. Highlight tracks here include the joyfully rollicking
"I Am on My Journey Home,"
with its cascading harmonies that lead up to a climactic,
John Duffey
-style 5/6 suspension at the end, a gorgeous
a cappella
rendition of the
Dailey
and
Lawson
composition
"'Til I See You Face to Face,"
and the wonderfully swinging
"We Shall Inherit."
There are really no weak tracks, although the album-closing
"When He Welcomes Me In"
may be just a bit too harmonically rich and fruity for those with more traditional
tastes. Highly recommended overall. ~ Rick Anderson