So now that the great man is gone, the question should be asked:
Is there a new Warren Zevon? Someone with his wit, literary songwriting ability? Any young musicians who might assume the mantle?
The only one I can think of is Beck. His last album shows a talent that is still growing.
Someone will step up.
They just won’t think they’re stepping up.
And you won’t like it when they do…
Beck is creative enough. He isn’t consistently smart enough.
Steve Earle might have had a shot at the title, but I think he got too serious when he got sober.
I can’t think of anyone right now who would even be close, but if they come along, I hope I don’t have to wait as long to discover them as so many did with Warren.
I like Beck. I like Steve Earle.
I like John Hiatt, too.
But these guys are who they are, and they don’t come close to Warren Zevon. And that’s okay.
What size are they?
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Ok, that was tasteless.
The only guys I can think of who share his flair for songwriting have all been around for a while, the best being Joe Jackson.
I can’t think of any ‘new’ songwriters who come close to capturing what Zevon did.
Er, that was my post right there, not ellis555’s.
Zevon was unique, though I always thought of him as kind of darkly smirking Gordon Lightfoot.
Zappa and Zevon are dead, and Beefheart is a recluse with a nasty illness. Where has that era I never lived through vanished to? 
Daoloth, there’re new geniuses born every day. I regret those deaths and exiles myself, but I never run out of new great stuff to listen to.