No one asked. Even fewer wondered. But here’s CSTB’s list of 2004’s most exceptional sound recordings.

Richard Buckner – Dents & Shells (Merge)
The Muffs – Really Really Happy (Five Foot Two)
Rilo Kiley – More Adventurous (Brute Beaute)
Wilco – A Ghost Is Born (Nonesuch)
Styrofoam – Nothing’s Lost (Morr Music)

MF Doom – MM…Food (Rhymesayers)
Television – Live At The Old Waldorf (Rhino)

Blood Bros. – Crimes (v2)
Sonic Youth – Sonic Nurse (Geffen)
I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness – s/t (Emperor Jones)
Fennesz – Venice (Touch)
Tom Scharpling & Jon Wurster – New Hope For The Ape Eared (Stereolaffs)

Please note that titles associated with any of CSTB’s business interests were ineligible. If you’d like to submit your own list via our comments section, please, feel free to do so. Unless you were planning on including the Stills album, in which case you can fuck off.