Daniel Amos:

Fractured Rhyming and All, Humor Carries Gospel Show

Billings Gazette February 24, 1979

by Roger Clawson



In world assailed by hard rock, country rock, punk rock and even warmed-over acid rock, the gospel rock of Daniel Amos is like a cool drink of Milk.

Pasteurized, homogenized milk.

The California Jesus Rock group -- named after a pair of Old Testament Prophets -- will present a concert at 8:15 p.m. Monday in the First Assembly of God Church, 4th St. West and Custer Avenue.

The six-man group has become the rave of the Christian press, drawing kudos from both sides of the Atlantic.

"Contemporary Christian Acts" said of their latest album, "Shotgun Angel breaks through many of the boundaries set by contemporary Christian music."

"Cornerstone" raved, "Every so often, an album comes out that makes a new step in the development of Jesus music... But not until now have we seen an album that is as versatile, professional or serious musically as is Daniel Amos' Shotgun Angel.

Hearing the good news about this Good News band, we took a copy of Shotgun Angel home to give it a spin. Here's what we found:

Shotgun Angel definitely isn't the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

The lead song, "Shotgun Angel" tells of a trucker who raised the Lord on his CB radio. Red Slovine Wouldn't touch it.

"Lady Goodbye" is typical of the album's use of fractured rhyme in lyrics:

Lady of the Sky
Where'd you go, where'd you fly?
To some sweet by and by?
Where only lovers go,
Ones that love Him so
Lady Goodbye.
Aside from the lyrics -- and the music, which sounds like soft rock pushed through a Muzak machine -- the album holds some promise.

A Side 2 cut, "Better," we found was better. With an echo of late 1950's rock 'n' roll, Daniel Amos sings:

Take my groceries and put them in a sack,
No checks, no cash, don't give me no flack.
And, while the group's Terry Taylor admits: "We are not very good musicians," Daniel Amos' humor be the group's salvation.

Coming on stage with cowboy hats and google goggles, the group had Christians laying in the aisle at Knotts Berry Farm.

And -- basing their music on material that has been around for more than 2,000 years -- the men of Daniel Amos have more to bring their audiences than mere hot licks.

Bob Beeman of "Acts Alive," the non-denominational, non-profit booking agency that has been bringing acts like Daniel Amos to Billings for two years, says there was some hesitation in scheduling rock music in the conservative First Assembly of God Church, but added:

"We have found this to be a very effective ministry. It's a way to reach the kids, reach them where they're at."