[Closed] The bestest, consistently good bands?

I'm not so good with the more popular bands, they seem often to spike early then lose the music.

Magma - 44 years and still pushing boundaries of music

British Sea Power - never disappointed me yet after nearly 14 yrs

Opeth - seem strong, mixing genres at risk of disappointing fans, always a good sign.

Can't think of any more off the top of my head.

Clutch. /thread.

Cue a load of old rock bands that sound the same as they always did...

Half Man Half Biscuit innit?

From 'Back In The DHSS' to this years 'Urge For Offal' they continue to be the best food related band that the Wirral has ever produced.

And not many bands can say that.

The Wedding Present. Hardly a surprise, given that all the songs sound the same, but when it/they sound that good who cares.

Coincidentally, i shall be seeing them playing the 'same' song several times in a few hours time, in Oxford.

Out of interest, 'Urge For Offal' contains references to both Delph and Bacup.

The first album to do so, I believe.

Spiritualized

Stereophonics....

Elbow.

Been around a lot longer than a lot of folks realise yet just as good now as they've always been.

So far as well known bands it would have to be QOTSA for me:

For less well known bands it would have to be Shellac (22 odd years):

Its even about riding bikes 😀

U2

James

johndoh - go and sit on the naughty step and have a think about what it you've just said.

U2 have indeed been consistent. Consistently ****ing awful!!!

Whichever band Nick Cave is in at the time.
and Bjork
and a non-solo artiste: Underworld

Spoon - new album is just as great as the others

The Charlatans +1

Love the new single as much as anything else they've done in the past 20 odd years.

Can't wait to see them live next year for the umpteenth time too!

New Model Army keep doing it for me

Creme Brulee

Elbow.
Been around a lot longer than a lot of folks realise yet just as good now as they've always been

jimjam - Member

Clutch. /thread.

FIST BUMP

Low have been pretty damn awesome

Converge

Mastodon

Tool

And all don't 'sound the same as they always did'

Forgot to mention Clinic, 1984 - present. Touring this month! +1 for Nick cave and Underworld

+1 for U2. Obviously not cool today, but they've put out some great albums over the years and can certainly play live.

Got to say I like what Ian Brown has been doing for decades from the Stone Roses right through his solo career. Still cool today as well, certainly is Manchester anyway! Saw him live in Platt Fields a couple of years ago and the atmosphere was buzzing. I was surprised how many youngsters were there.

moshimonster - Member

+1 for U2. Obviously not cool today, but they've put out some great albums over the years and can [B]certainly play live.[/b]

With loads of backing tracks, yes.

A few +1's here for British Sea Power, Opeth, Mastodon, and Clutch. I'll put forward Meshuggah, The Meads Of Asphodel, Blut Aus Nord, Deathspell Omega and Yo La Tengo. Oh, and Porcupine Tree (and Steven Wilson's solo stuff).Boards Of Canada would have made an appearance had their last album not been so dull. And after we'd waited so long for it as well. 😐

Underworld , Beck ( i know he's not a band ,but..)
Pink Floyd 😉 (guilty pleasure...)
Sugababes

Teenage Fanclub
Wedding Present (natch)
Prodigy
Radiohead (YMMV)
Seth Lakeman (apart from that one when they tried to turn him into the Levellers)

The Black Keys

Lifer - Member

jimjam - Member

Clutch. /thread.

FIST BUMP

Low have been pretty damn awesome

Converge

Mastodon

Tool

My first thought was Tool, but I really didn't rate 10,000 days.

BTW. I did not mean it about U2.

I was bored and trying to cause an argument.

👿

Faith No More. Slash/Myles Kennedy still do some good rock n roll.
Deftones
Incubus

jimjam - Member
but I really didn't rate 10,000 days.

Loads of good songs on there! Vicarious, Wings for Marie 2, The Pot all in my top 10 Tool songs.

REM

Just listening to the new Charlatans stuff, and it occurred to me that its still really really good stuff. Up to our Hips is over 20 years old and is still one of my all time favourite albums. They've never done a bad album IMHO. They're bloody great live too!

I love them, have literally everything they have ever done and yet I have to disagree. Up At The Lake was not good. A reasonable EP if you selected carefully perhaps.... TB himself said they released it to get out of their Universal deal.

Most of Ian Browns stuff I have enjoyed as above mentioned by moshimonster.

moshimonster - Member
+1 for U2. Obviously not cool today, but they've put out some great albums over the years and can certainly play live.
With loads of backing tracks, yes.

No way! A band using sequencers in a live setting to add more elements than a four piece can. Must be the only band to do that. Lots of bands do it. Nothing dishonest. I wouldn't count myself as a fan nowadays - but they can play live and more than one note too.

Led Zeppelin were pretty strong start to finish IMHO. Becj always seems to put the effort in as do Radiohead.

Oooo, I forgot the Prodigy. They just get better and better. Never seen live, but a few friends have and say they are excellent.

Coldplay

jamj1974 - Member
No way! A band using sequencers in a live setting to add more elements than a four piece can. Must be the only band to do that. Lots of bands do it. Nothing dishonest. I wouldn't count myself as a fan nowadays - but they can play live and more than one note too.

Sure, but have the guys doing keys and triggers and the backing musicians on stage with you at least. IMO.

Good call monkeysfeet! I've seen 'em live loads of times over the years, and they're consistently refreshingly bonkers!!! Theres not many gigs as mental as a Prodigy gig 😀

IHN - Much as I love you, you're not allowed on threads about music. And you've just demonstrated why 😉

Yo la Tengo
Neil Young

Doves

[i]IHN - Much as I love you, you're not allowed on threads about music. And you've just demonstrated why[/i]

[img] [/img]

😉

Bjork (as said)
PJ Harvey
Smog/(smog)/Bill Callahan
Palace/palace brothers/palace music/will Oldham/Bonnie prince Billy/etc
Cat power

I will generally pick up the latest offering by any/all of the above. And have done for years.

Neil Young - as big a fan as I am he's done some unappealing albums - Landing on Water and Everybody's Rockin' spring to mind.

Elbow.

Consistently [i]good[/i]? I'd certainly say they were consistently mind numbingly boring.

Arctic Monkeys?

Pink Floyd were amazing live too. I'm sure someone will say they can't really play live either.
Led Zep were awesome too in their day and their music still sounds pretty good today.

I thought the Who were good too.

I'm pretty cold on the current mainstream UK music scene, but I'm really liking much of the obscure Canadian rock and reggae you find on mtb and ski movies.

Don't think Rush have ever disappointed.

CaptainFlashheart - Member
Don't think Rush have ever disappointed.

1. When they formed
2. Failed to break up

Bellowhead

Foo fighters? and +1 for Opeth, Clutch, Mastodon.

Lightning Bolt

John Mayer. Quality..

Doves - good call.
& Daft Punk,maybe the last album was a little weak but that lucky song is amazeballs.

is it allowed to count individuals who've done lots of good stuff but with different bands? If yes, then Mark Lanegan.

Teenage fanclub maybe?

everyone else I thought of is already mentioned.

Motorhead.

[img][url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3943/15517799160_30c10104ba_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3943/15517799160_30c10104ba_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url] [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/countzero1/15517799160/ ]Half Man Half Biscuit, Bath Komedia.[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/countzero1/ ]CountZero1[/url], on Flickr[/img]

Half Man Half Biscuit

[img][url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7522/15781733435_89b84bbd62_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7522/15781733435_89b84bbd62_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url] [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/countzero1/15781733435/ ]Arcade Fire/Ian McCullock, Earle's Court, London[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/countzero1/ ]CountZero1[/url], on Flickr[/img]

Arcade Fire

[img][url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8665/15596588127_d692c35fd8_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8665/15596588127_d692c35fd8_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url] [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/countzero1/15596588127/ ]Elbow, O2, London.[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/countzero1/ ]CountZero1[/url], on Flickr[/img]

Elbow

I've now seen Elbow six times, from the O2 Academy up to the O2 Arena, and as a live band they are outstanding, managing to make a 17,000 capacity venue feel like an intimate club gig.

Jimi Hendrix and Nirvana were consistent I wonder what their post-hiatus-comeback-need-to-get-the-kids-through-school albums would be like

Prodigy are certainly one of the few. And as stated already absolutely riotous live

+1 Yo la Tengo

😉 on Lightning Bolt

Also Mogwai have been really dependable whilst changing a fair bit throughout the years.

Magenta, Porcupine Tree, Steven Wilson, Joe Bonamassa.

Cue a load of old rock bands that sound the same as they always did...

😆

I prefer people who're continually evolving. 🙂

As for Neil Young, well he's made some bloomin' brilliant albums and some bloomin' rubbish ones too. He's never dull!

+1 for ian brown

Funnily enough I was saying as such to my wife the other day.

And prodigy as said.

And because no one already has and I don't give a damn about music, my preference is standard brown rubber sort of favourite bands. 😆
I'll get me coat......

Couple here that I'd agree with.

John Mayer (50% of my blues covers band set is John Mayer tracks so I'm kind of biased as he's my hero on guitar!)

Bellowhead.....outstanding musicians and really interesting to listen to/watch.

I'd add Primus to the list. Still as quirky/catchy/interesting on the last album as the first.

Johndoh >> BTW. I did not mean it about U2.

I knew!
I also knew CountZero would be along with some bloody photos what he tooks at gigs, just to annoy me too. It did!

I agree completely with OP. Charlatans have been around for decades, staying just below the radar whilst producing good tunes. Disagree about the Prodigy. loved them through 'Music For The Jilted' and 'Fat Of The Land' but can't take to more recent albums.

Although no longer making albums I would add Orbital and The Beastie Boys.

Prodigy's last album was 2009! And it was rubbish. Their last decent one was 1997, so they definitely don't belong!

Mogwai
Mull Historical Society
Frank Turner- because every album now is basically the same as the last one, only slightly less interesting

GusGus.

I knew!
I also knew CountZero would be along with some bloody photos what he tooks at gigs, just to annoy me too. It did!

[img][url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8113/15780167511_c087376a46_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8113/15780167511_c087376a46_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url] [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/countzero1/15780167511/ ]Metric[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/countzero1/ ]CountZero1[/url], on Flickr[/img]

Metric

[img][url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7548/15780202521_c6b47eb08b_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7548/15780202521_c6b47eb08b_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url] [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/countzero1/15780202521/ ]Stars, London[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/countzero1/ ]CountZero1[/url], on Flickr[/img]

Stars

[img][url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7543/15162647303_5dd395f4c6_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7543/15162647303_5dd395f4c6_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url] [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/countzero1/15162647303/ ]Katzenjammer, O2 Academy, Bristol[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/countzero1/ ]CountZero1[/url], on Flickr[/img]

Katzenjammer

[img][url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8123/15758431496_0d6e2b4602_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8123/15758431496_0d6e2b4602_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url] [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/countzero1/15758431496/ ]Calexico, O2 Academy, Bristol[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/countzero1/ ]CountZero1[/url], on Flickr[/img]

Calexico.

See, no 'Dad Rock' here, and I'm not going to mention someone I've never seen live, and why post someone else's photo when I have my own.
Or are you jealous because you never see any live bands?

Faith No More.

One of my all-time favourite bands. But "consistent"? Really?

Kings Of Leon. From the "before Caleb could sing" stage all the way through til now. Couple bits of filler, but not much.

Good question, does it have to be bands that are still going? If not then my nominations are:
. up until Fred died: Queen! Every single album was excellent, even Hot Space had it's moments.
. Up until Jim died, The Doors.

Richmond Fontaine
Calexico
Bob Mould

If we can have bands that are no longer going I vote for the smiths.

Out of all the bands I like, I have the most Radiohead albums. Wouldn't call them consistently good though. Some are great whilst one or two are almost inaccessible.

Supergrass

Thread has taken a very odd turn.

Stereophonics, Prodigy, Kings of Leon and Kasabian.

[i]
Or are you jealous because you never see any live bands?[/i]

Yeah, thats it 🙄
suppose the problem is I haven't got one single shit photo to prove I was there. Just memories and experiences.

Greg Dulli has a good run rate with Afghan Whigs, Twilight Singers and Gutter Twins.

Pere Ubu - 40 years old next year and still busy, busy, busy ...and playing at the Brudenell in Leeds next week for which I have a ticket!

+1 on Yo La Tengo

+1 on Lightning Bolt ...and Brian Chippendale's doing some great work with his Black Pus project.

Thurston Moore (ex Sonic Youth) is still great and his current sound is very recognisable 🙂

Throwing Muses are still fantastic!