I was just thinking on my drive in to work today I can't think of a better musician who's come along in the last 10 years than John Mayer. It's just unfair the amount of talent that guy has (guitarist, singer, songwriter, lyricist, performer).
I tried getting in to the Avett Brothers and the Decemberists this week but they're so annoying with the neo-commune folksy little house on the prairie routine. The music is good, but then it gets annoying because it's so derivative of The Band, and Neil Young, and Bob Dylan, and lots of other folk rock acts of the 60's.
I'll keep trying to get in to the indie rock you kids love so much though. I did hear a good Tapes n Tapes song on the current and I've been meaning to check them out for a while now.
Also, side note, after being a huge Lifter Puller fan, I can't do the Hold Steady at all. It's not bad, maybe it's just because I heard most of what makes them unique (i.e. Craig Finn) 10 years ago and burned myself out on it.
But not to be Debbie Downer, here's probably my favorite band of the last several years:
I'm a huge Jonny Craig fan. If I came across a singer HALF that good, I would come out of musical retirement to play with him.