Following country flirtations in the mid '70s, California band Daniel Amos switched to rock and new wave, eventually settling on a genre-blurring blend of all three. Not only did the act's sonic smorgasbord break ground in the '80s, but frontman Terry Scott Taylor's lyrics were particularly progressive, distinguished by criticism of the American church's shortcomings. Releasing new music into the '00s, the group have earned the respect of both Christian and alt-rock musicians, influencing such disparate acts as U2, Collective Soul, Steve Taylor, Starflyer 59, and The Ocean Blue.