Call me crazy, but I think The Smashing Pumpkins and Radiohead have gotten better and better over time. I dunno, it probably has to do with the fact that they both flirted with more electronics later on and their sound progressed beyond the typical 4-5 piece band with guitars, bass and drums. This also happened to the Talking Heads around Remain in Light, which is without a doubt my favorite record of theirs.

It doesn't work for everyone, and I completely respect a band's earlier material, but when they evolve into something completely new and pull it off, I can't give them enough credit.

Yeah, much as I love them all, the first four Talking Heads are brilliant, and the remainder merely very very good.

As much as I can appreciate how good his recent, countryish / bluesy / introspective albums are, godammit I miss the old Nick Lowe!

don't count them out yet. they're hooked up with converge right now and should be releasing some amazing shit early next year.

from what i've been hearing, the post-rca cave in stuff isn't a total return to their roots, but it's not quite as radio-oriented either.

KPH

just wanted to say that "Hang Fire" is one of the best fucking songs ever. That was the only reason I bought the CD. (the rest of it is just kinda OK IMO, but "Hang Fire" man...whoa.)

These come to mind

Tricky
Sneaker Pimps
Cocteau Twins
every single death/black/thrash/metal band I have ever heard outside of Opeth (examples Cannibal Corpse, Death, Slayer. Metallica, Ancient, Mayhem, At the Gates, Amorphis, Grave, Brutal Truth, Broken Hope, Napalm Death, Obituary, Entombed, Iron Maiden, Solitude Aeturnus, Soilent Green, Pantera, Emperor, Celtic Frost, etc)
David Bowie, Elvis Presley, Malcom Mclaren, Lou Reed
you

I think Spoon just keep getting better and better (and their older albums keep sounding better with age, too).

Also - and some will debate this - Rancid have continued to grow and get more interesting as songwriters and players.

Frank Black has had a fairly consistent solo career, but Black Letter Days and Show Me Your Tears were definite high points, and his recent cantankerous re-working of the Pixies songbook proves he's still got a whole lotta ground he's aiming to cover.

Giant Sand started out as a slightly twisted cousin to the L.A. paisley underground scene, and have gradually become an odd iconoclastic genre unto themselves.

Joe Henry began as a competent but faceless alt.country artist and keeps pushing the envelope a little further out of everyone else's reach with every release.

Although Quebec was a little disappointing, Ween have been on an upward trajectory for well over a decade now.

I think T.Rex got better as it went along - up to Zinc Alloy anyway (I'm including Tyrannosaurus Rex in the equation).

The Notwist have grown more interesting with every release.

Marah's new album is their best since their debut.

The new Blues Explosion disc has made me believe Jon Spencer is far from over as a relevant artist.

And I'd also say Tom Waits, Steve Earle, and Lucinda Williams get more interesting and accomplished with every passing year.

I would go so far as to say it is their best record.

It's def. in my top three of their albums. With Fables and likely Out Of Time.

But post NAIHF has been a bit drab artistically compared to previous work.

Bowie I prefer early stuff as well. Maybe the Cure, though I haven't heard the new one.

Tell you what, though, I'm feeling pretty good about the new Nick Cave and I sure don't get the urge to listen to those Birthday Party albums anymore.

obvious and already mentioned but: Pink Floyd

also: Aphex Twin (don't really like the direction he's taking lately)

The Cure (although I wouldn't call Disintegration their 'early stuff', the new stuff sucks)

Cowboy Junkies

Modest Mouse....not that I dislike their newer stuff, but i just enjoy the rough edges of their first couple of albums more.