Just Over In Heaven

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, without doubt the finest bluegrass gospel group performing today, seems unable to make a bad album, and Lawson's current lineup may be the best one he's ever had. Just Over in Heaven combines band arrangements with a cappella numbers, but even when the instruments are playing the vocal arrangements are at the center of the group's sound; where most bluegrass bands use standard parallel harmonies in their gospel arrangements, Lawson's approach is far more complex and is rooted equally in shape, note, and African-American gospel traditions. On tracks like "I Am Glad" and "We Need the Light" the parts move in intricate counterpoint, like cogs in a perfectly designed watch; the sound borders on that of a barbershop quartet. In fact, that effect is a little bit cloying on one or two tracks (notably "Listen to the Bells"), but, for the most part, this album succeeds spectacularly and is highly recommended.