is Turin Brakes. A pretty decent first album "The Optimist LP" followed not to shabbily by "Ether Song". A 3 year gap (I think, will stand corrected) until "Dark on Fire". Didn't find that one nearly as good as the their two openers. Are Turin Brakes obscure enough for this thread?

Stevie Wonder: OK, "I just called etc" and "Ebony and Ivory" are dross beyond compare,but are insufficient to damn or blight a reputation such as is his. Yes, it is true he has a deal less prolific a muse as in yesteryear; the gap between new material gets ever longer, but last years (or was it the year before?)"A Time to Love" (2005, I just checked) was not bad by any standard, with at least 2 corkers I will be disappointed not to hear live next month. (So I'm a fan, even maybe a touch biased but....)
He is only "rubbish" to the same sort of degree as is Ray Davies or Roy Wood, which I hope would provoke dissent. Yes, some of the inspiration, or even just the drive, may have dwindled, but, as Ray Davies has shown, there is still a song or two left within him. We await in hope for Roy.
Somehow to compare Gomez and the Turin Shrouds, sorry Brakes, seems a little mean spirited.

Go to You Tube, search for Stevie Wonder Superstition and click on the one saying 'SW in the studio 1973'. Though obviously Retro would prefer the album version, which has a sax as well!

...I bought 'A Time 2 Love' for £1 in Fopp earlier in the year but never got around to playing it but buoyed by Retropath's post I'll give it a spin.

I have to say I was slightly disappointed by what I heard from The Coral after that debut album. They moved into a more generic indie sound after their earlier work, I felt.

They have got worse with each album release. The first 3 are all top drawer (albeit in diminishing quality - nothing beats Tigermilk) but each one after just gets worse until the last one which I can barely listen to.

Agh, Belle And Sebastian? I can't stand for one of my favourite bands being done down like this. Dear Catastrophe Waitress and The Life Pursuit are also top drawer, and I've enjoyed both their gigs I've seen very much. I'd say they're one of the bands who totally buck the trend this thread is aimed at!

...Jesse Malin? Awesome, raw, natural debut followed by over-produced, unlistenable-to rubbish.

And his buddy Ryan Adams - great as part of Whiskytown, exceptional for his first three solo records, then a distinct lack of quality control set in.

The reverse has to be Elbow: each record has progressively improved up on the last, layering on levels of lyricism and instrumental delight, making the last album simply sublime.

Popdoc, top marks from me for the artists you choose to talk about - Jesse, Ryan and Elbow are three of my favourites.

I agree that Jesse's debut is his best, though I do enjoy The Heat and Glitter In The Gutter. The covers record is bad, though. Ryan, I think Cold Roses and Easy Tiger are two of his best.

Think you've got it wrong on Gomez there, the album after Liquid Skin was In Our Gun, clearly their most experimental release. I find it hard to believe you've actually heard it given that inaccurate description.