When I review a new release, I also give the album a score based on the quality of each individual track and the cohesiveness of the album as a whole. To be eligible for this list, the album needs to be released in the U.S. between December 1, 2006 and November 30, 2007. The following albums have scored highest this year so far. I update these Standings every time an album or albums break into my Top 20.

Update: This week El-P cracks the Top 10 with I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead and Modest Mouse and Low sneak into the Top 20 with We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank and Drums and Guns respectively. Meanwhile, Sarah Shannon, Nas and Smoke or Fire get bumped off the list.

1. Menomena Friend and Foe (Barsuk)
2. Macromantics Moments in Movement (Kill Rock Stars)
3. Youth Group Casino Twilight Dogs (Anti-)
4. The Bird and the Bee The Bird and the Bee (Metro Blue/Blue Note)
5. Tim Fite Over the Counter Culture (Anti-)
6. The Beauty Shop Crisis Helpline (Believe Music)
7. El-P I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead (Definitive Jux)
8. The Shins Wincing the Night Away (Sub Pop)
9. Andrew Bird Armchair Apocrypha (Fat Possum)
10. Elvis Perkins Ash Wednesday (XL)
11. Arcade Fire Neon Bible (Merge)
12. Maria Taylor Lynn Teeter Flower (Saddle Creek)
13. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists Living With the Living (Touch and Go)
14. Ligion External Affairs (Maple Jam/Bellum)
15. Peter Bjorn and John Writer’s Block (Almost Gold)
16. VietNam VietNam (Kemado)
17. Rob Crow Living Well (Temporary Residence Ltd.)
18. Modest Mouse We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (Epic)
19. Team Shadetek Pale Fire (SOUND iNK)
20. Low Drums and Guns (Sub Pop)