Old stuff, new stuff, I love it all.

Some of these are not active anymore;

The Triffids
The Go Betweens
Eyeless in Gaza
Abba
Handsome Family

In fact only two are currently producing new music, so i'm not sure that really fits your remit.

Could think of a few more, but then a long forgotten clunker of an lp invades my memory.

To be never let down, musically or otherwise. While I admire your optimism, I can't think of anyone who hasn't the odd 'off' moment and let something substandard slip through. There are plenty of people who I am prepared to forgive for the occasional lapse, because the rest is so good and I can hope for a return to form.

Two artists Nick Lowe - even his CD of outtakes and b-sides is excellent and Fountains of Wayne - the only problem they cause me is the gap between releases but then I suppose that that's what helps the quality control, I can't see either of those artists releasing their "Sandinista". I'm a big XTC, Sparks and Elvis Costello fan and I would like to include them in the list but I just can't.

for me they've never had a wobble .. their last album possibly. Horses for courses an all that though.

my current faves Biffy Clyro have yet to disappoint too.

As far as i'm aware, Nick Cave has never really put out a bad album has he? Maybye his style has changed a few times, but theres not really anything of his you could really call "bad" is there? Live shows pretty good too.

And on that note, he's just been confirmed for Glastonbury! Big time win!

I've yet to be let down by Thelonious Monk, or by Charles Mingus.

I love everything by the Fleshtones, too : however I am aware that their output is variable, and they act as kryptonite on my critical faculties.

and of course Supertramp.

Then, now and in the future - I've heard snippets of their new CD coming out in July. Live they are always a good night out. Even Mr Mick gets to you eventually.

Actually, that isn't to say I like everything they have done, but both are insufficiently prolific to be in the league of Costello or Thompson who consistently entertain but have proportionately more dross amongst the jewels overall. Not much, mind.
Technical question: how do you write a line thru' something, as PC sensibly did?

Jason Lytle has never written a bad song. He can't help himself - he's made out of melody. And Bob Dylan (obviously!)

Every Album is a winner as is Eef Barzalay's solo stuff.
Wilco too

These guys don't seem to have done much wrong...

Both have had the odd bad track bud generally class all the way.

Based on this post

http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/confessions

I'd say there's another guy batting "one for one"...

Pretty consistent if you ask me.

Every one a winner! From early psycho Americana through Nawleans funky and even the "fuckin' Weather Report" stage. Post Lowell only really good rather than consistently excellent....oh that other bands could be "only" really good.

Why - fantastic songs, fantastic playing, knowing where the groove is, not sounding like anyone else and always sounding like themselves. Who else can you say that about?

NEWMAN...OK Im off

I´ll fight anyone who says it ain´t so

and Teenage Fanclub.

One of the few bands that have a unique sound. Within seconds you know it's them and only could be them - even if they are standing in a line playing recorders.

...never let me down. From Talking Heads 77 through to the brilliant, underrated Naked - I love them all. No one else sounds remotely like them.

Even their originally unreleased offcuts/demos/ were great.
In Asking Land is fantastic, to say nothing of the rehearsal version of And She Was from the re-issue series which wipes the floor with the actual single to these ears.

By the way Talking Heads fans, their original CBS Demo tape is available in full, and in pretty great quality 'on the web' if you catch my drift.

You wait and wait for the next albun and it never disappoints.
Probably another five years for the next but you know it'll be worth it.

Would also say The Smiths didn't do even a bad b-side and Sparklehorse are just about perfect. And I second Blue Nile, Teenage Fanclub and Grandaddy/Jason Lytle.

FACT

Half Man Half Biscuit have not just been consistently good, but have got gradually greater. For a band that began being compared to Splodgenessabounds (I don`t wear stripey kecks, babe) and The M**c Lads (how? tell me, how so?)they have got better and better musically and are in a field of one lyrically.

Peel said of the mighty Fall `always the same; always different` (I paraphrase, of course), he could have said the same of HMHB.For a band that peaked commercially in 1986/7 and most people think split up thereafter (always, always `Fookin ell it`s Fred Titmus...loved that.What became of them?`)and have the most annoying pedantic fans *waves* this side of Dylan(see chrisrands lyric site)

The UK love of Supertramp continues to amaze. I am generally guarded with negative opinion but they are a band I would walk across nails to turn off. An early contributor mentioned the Go-Betweens who I saw live twice and once counted as a band fan. Now, however, I think that their lyrics are remarkably cringe-worthy and their melodies non-existent and musicianship laughable. They have one great song, however, - Bye Bye Pride which just transcends their limitations unbelievably.

Consistently good, though? Ron Sexsmith. Amazing run. Has a voice that can divide punters but I think its a fantastic instrument.

Always interesting, great musicianship and could cut it live unlike many.

All The Bible's stuff is good and his solo records are all gorgeous - he also writes consistently brilliant songs for other singers. 'Baptist Hospital' is my fave album of his...
Here's a live one:

Think The Word mag should give him some coverage!

...a listen to any track on any CD would be a rewarding experience, in my opinion.

... have never let me down!

The Church - consistently brilliant since the early 80s

another vote for The Blue Nile - I'm looking forward to them recording the 3 "new" songs on Youtube

robert johnson was consistently rather excellent

I thought: Nick Cave. As that's already been said, I'll mention Elbow and Doves.

Also apart from those two albums released on the same day in the early 90's, Springsteen has rarely put a foot wrong.

And Tom Waits and The Decemberists have been said as well I think.

Ten albums (6 in the last decade), all subtly different, all genuinely excellent.

I really can't bang on about this band enough: generally overlooked, but make complex, beautiful, funny, intelligent music, that really doesn't ever let you down.

Not the most prolific artist, sadly, but she rarely puts a foot wrong. I'm not mad about The Red Shoes, although it has some good songs (marred by a bit too much Prince and not enough oomph), but as soon as she starts up you know it's her and you'll hear something that sounds like nobody else. Who else could sing about Pi and make it sound mysterious, wonderful and strangely eerie (and no, don't say Tori Amos - there's interestingly idiosyncratic and then there's just plain bizarre)? A unique woman who should be treasured.

rubbish mind you

They have produced seven albums now and, apart from their debut, they range from absolute classic (OK Computer, In Rainbows, Kid A) to brilliant (The Bends, Hail to the Thief, Amnesiac). Not to mention their raft of great B-sides. The most consistently excellent band around today I would say.

Giants.

And another vote for Teenage Fanclub. I have thought about it, and I can't think of a single song from either I don't like.

It has to be Bob Dylan ... always consistently good, even when he's bad.

Get better and better across 4 albums.

But will Guy and the boys match up to Family? 7 albums, all different, all excellent. And no-one since has ever sounded like them.

Beatles obviously, but also Kate Bush, Steely Dan, Ben Folds, Blue Nile, Smiths, Talk Talk, Duke Ellington, Miles Davies, Monk, Mingus and a fair few other jazzers.

Criminally undervalued and unfailingly excellent. Apart from his new album Sunshine Lies which is just good.

Yes they are
(Apart from Face Dances and Its Hard)
Endless Wire? I like it!

Those aside

The Jam
The Clash (yes, even Sandinista!)

She's something of a "marmite" artist, but I'm firmly on her side. She's never made a bad record, and her last few have been amazingly strong and consistent.

Never one to pass up an opportunity to praise Shawn Colvin, I'd also include her; even her least good album (Whole New You) is streets ahead of 90% of the "competition".

Consistently brilliant throughout all four of their albums.

I have my favourites, of course, but every one of their LPs is a gem to be savoured.

In picking an artist who was consistently good, I suppose it's cheating a bit to go for one who died young because, obviously, those who are still making records at 83 have a lot more opportunities to produce rubbish.

But by any standards, Eric Dolphy was consistently great:

He was great as a leader...
- Outward Bound
- Out There
- Far Cry
- Live at the Five Spot
- Iron Man / Conversations
- Out to Lunch

... and he was absolutely astonishing as a 'sideman'

- with Andrew Hill on "Point of Departure"
- with John Coltrane on the "Africa/Brass Sessions"
- with Oliver Nelson on "Blues & the Abstract Truth"
- with Mal Waldron on "The Quest"
- with Booker Little on "Out Front"
- with Charles Mingus on the great european concert recordings from 1964

That keening alto sax, that delicate, bird-like flute, and - best of all - the jaw-dropping pioneering work with the bass clarinet.

Truly one of a kind. If you've never heard Eric, the music, thankfully, is all still out there. And you're in for an extravagant treat.

Crowded House

Been through all my favourites - Stranglers, XTC, Beatles, Nirvana, Blur, Toad The Wet Sprocket but they are the only band that have produced consistently great albums.
Neil Finn's solo work never stood up to it, although his collaborations with Tim Finn always did

Lloyd Cole, every record from 1995 - altough not a huge number - have been superb. For those who fancy it - Love Story (1995), The Negatives (2000), Music in a Foreign Language (2003)and Anti-Depressant (2008) are (music journalism cliche, ahoy) masterclasses in lyric writing. Never makes an unfulfilling record.

John Waite: it's not a case of 'even Sandinista' as much as 'especially Sandinista', I love all the Clash records, all 350,000 versions of them now, but I love going back to Sandinista.

consistently good

so why should musicians be any different?

.. great band, consistently brilliant, great compiler, great writer, consistently underrated.

.. quality songwriter, great guitarist, top class performer, all round good bloke

.. likewise

20 odd albums...not one bad one.

Even the much-lamented UH Huh Her actually proves itself over time.

....just gets better and better; "ten new songs" is a masterpiece; and his recent live shows are a joy to behold.

..called Richard Thompso.....

I just thought of another one. The Fountains Of Wayne. Even their B-sides album is superb. I think I could only pick out about 3 weak tracks through all their albums. Pity they're not more prolific but maybe that's because the quality control kicks in.