Doyle Lawson"s departure from the Country Gentlemen in 1979 set him on a mission. His band, known as "the quartet of bluegrass," highlights classic Southern gospel singing, exploiting those harmonies for their doo-wop-like buoyancy. As Lawson enters his second decade with Quicksilver, he stays true to that gospel road, digging deeper into the quartet tradition and focusing on both the band harmonies and the spectacular lead singing of Barry Scott. Though without the truly moving moments of 1998"s Gospel Radio Gems, this collection offers "River of Tears," a new, bittersweet composition by Carl Jackson and Shelby Kennedy. What"s missing is stronger, more evocative material: as impeccable as the singing might be on standbys like "The Bible Told Me So," the overall mood of the album relies on the didactic side of gospel, rather than exploring the music"s more mysterious and emotionally complex dimensions. --Roy Kasten