Very well said, Erik. I've found Mellencamp to be one of those few artists where I'm surprised by each new record. Not that they sound all that different than the one that came before it, but that they sound totally different from what he did 10 years before. Los Lobos is another act that I totally enjoy for similar reasons. Every album covers a lot of musical territory but still stays centered in great musicianship.

I'm enjoying Robert Plant's musical adventures, and what appears to be a very visible bird flipped in the direction of Mssrs Page and Jones.

I'll agree with others that Springsteen has slipped a bit, but my attitude is that sub-par Bruce is better than no Bruce at all, and he still brings it for a solid 180 minutes every time he hits the stage.