Most consistently good artist?

[Sandusky]

My vote goes to Mark Kozelek. From Songs For A Blue Guitar to What Comes After The Moon? to Tiny Cities this guy just keeps hitting homeruns. He seems to get better and better with each outing. The guy deserves our undying love just for what he has done to these Modest Mouse songs---check out 'Convenient Parking', 'Exit Does Not Exist', and 'Ocean Breathes Salty'. Ghosts Of The Great Highway dominated my life for about six months, I consider this album the best of the decade so far. Each song a mini-epic whether it be full on Crazy Horse rock ('Salvador Sanchez', 'Lily & Parrots') or autumnal ballads ('Carry Me Ohio', 'Gentle Moon'). 'Du Koo Kim' stands alone really, this song is so amazing if I was stuck on a desert island and could only have one song--this very well might be it--love how it slowly unfolds all dreamy and gone. I also love the Painters' last album Old Ramon--'Smokey', 'Michigan', 'Byrd Joel' are all great Koz songs hinting toward a more Americana sound (that would come to dominate his solo and Sun Kil Moon recordings). Mark seems to have tapped into the classic singer/songwriters of the 70s and imbued the sound with a dusty post-millenium sadness. I could go on and on about this guy. He's one of the few artists that has actually gotten better with each release. He just seems to be on his game like no one else.

[Colorado Sun]

Greg Brown!

-Sun

[LongDarkBlues]

Tom Waits, man, that guy has a handful of so-so discs, but overall, in terms of exploration and quality, he can't be touched.

[TANEYTOWN]

Brent Best. The Slobberbone cds had very few if any just all out bad songs. The Drams cd will be the best rock n roll cd to come out in years.
When ever Brent does the folk cd he has always had inside of him. Well it will be nothing short of taking your breath-away!

[El Santo]

Shane, good call with Kozelek. He's not my favorite artist ever, but in truth, I don't really have a favorite album, and thats probably due mostly to his consistancy. Great work across the board. Love the music.

My personal vote....and its been discussed....

Sam Beam/Iron & Wine
I know that some people are bored by the music, but to those of us that really like it, I think we'd agree that the guy might not even have a bad song, let alone a bad album. Eventually....he'll need to mix things up a bit or he might get a little stale, but I think the Calexico EP was a step in that direction. Stick with the great melodies that are so characteristic of him, but try some new things as well.

Jay Farrar/Son Volt
Excluding Jay's solo works and Tupelo....
Son Volt has been extremely consistant. I mean....when they took a long break like they did....to be able to come back....and basically give a slightly modernized version of their original sound....thats something to be proud of. 4 albums of stellar work.....you always know what to expect...and you expect it to be something great.

[TravelbySea]

Will Johnson

[Nortwoods]

Greg Brown!

-Sun

Wow, you beat me to it. 100% agree. How odd.

[TANEYTOWN]

Yea Will Johnson would be next in line for me!~NH@jefsl,XzlnefvjelkDX < V

• dxn lknvckl;MDL;SKV ,MXCJIENVLJDBan

[Sandusky]

Jay Farrar/Son Volt
Excluding Jay's solo works and Tupelo....
Son Volt has been extremely consistant. I mean....when they took a long break like they did....to be able to come back....and basically give a slightly modernized version of their original sound....thats something to be proud of. 4 albums of stellar work.....you always know what to expect...and you expect it to be something great.

YES YES YES to the above . Nicely put.

[3legcat]

i like and agree with the choice of kozelek and would include his rhp discs back to rollercoaster, i also thought about tom waits.

but i am going with:

Richard Buckner

every cd from Bloomed to Dents and Shells has been great and every song on every disc i enjoy, i can't say that about Kozelek. Even though Buckner has explored different musical styles and tempos, every song is uniquely his and even a casual listener can identify his expressive warbling immediately. Richard Buckner has it all, great poetic lyrics, good to excellent musicianship and the best voice in music. Songs like Mud, Ed's Song, Goodbye Rye, Ocean Cliff Clearing, Dusty for the talk, Reuben Painter, Believer, A Chance Counsel. Elizabeth Childers, Goner with Souvenir, Born into giving it Up, ....& the clouds have lied, song of 27, and on and on and on.....
Lil wallet picture is a perfect song. i can listen to over and over without ever tiring of it. the song Elizabeth Childers is so powerful that it has been banned from home stereo. my wife and youngest daughter literally cry uncontrollably when ever i have played it in their presence.... richards latest cd, Dents and Shells is as good as or better than any of his prior releases he is also a consistent force live and is almost always on tour.
yup for me the most consistently best is still buckner

[El Santo]

man...i don't own enough Buckner stuff. I better get on that immediately.

[Sandusky]

Good post 3legcat. Buckner would definitely be on my list too. I even loved Impasse.

[grapenehi]

for the money you can't beat Miss Brittany Spears, although i'd like to.....

[Ansbacher Bremen]

John Hiatt

[Rusty]

Tom Waits, man, that guy has a handful of so-so discs, but overall, in terms of exploration and quality, he can't be touched.

Im with you on this one. Im not even sure which ones are "so-so". Some are far more experimental or avant-garde than others but I'm not sure they're "so-so"

30+ years of pure genius from this guy.