My Top Ten of 2004:

1. Fiery Furnaces – Blueberry Boat.

2. Wilco – A Ghost Is Born

3. Animal Collective - Sung Tongs

4. Mike Watt – The Secondman’s Middle Stand

5. Liars – They Were Wrong, So We Drowned

6. Mission of Burma – ONoffON

7. Deerhoof – Milk Man

8. Will Johnson – Vultures Await

9. The Streets – A Grand Don’t Come For Free

10. TV on the Radio - Desperate Youths, Bloodthirsty Babes

Excluded: Brian Wilson - SMiLE, which is really a long-delayed 1967 release. If it were on the list, it would be #2.

Close but not quite: Mekons - Punk Rock, Iron & Wine - Endless Numbered Days, Madvillain - Madvillainy, Shearwater – Winged Life (traded places with TV on the Radio)

Haven't heard but mean to, 'cause I think I'd like 'em: Panda Bear, R. Buckner, the New Year, Ted Leo, Mountain Goats, Stereolab, Tom Waits, American Music Club, Carla Bozulich, Nels Cline, Arcade Fire, Oneida, Hella, MF Doom (Mmm... Food), McLusky, controller.controller, and Comets on Fire.

Great re-releases: Talking Heads - The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads, Can's first four albums, and the Go-Betweens' 4th-6th albums.