When I review a new release, I also give the album a score based on the quality of each individual track and the album as a whole. To be eligible for this list the album needs to be released in the U.S. between December 1, 2007 and November 30, 2008. 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: Death Vessel’s quiet, under-the-radar album Nothing Is Precious Enough For Us finds its way into the Top 20, which means that now THREE acts with the word “death” in their moniker have made it onto this list. Intriguing. In the meantime, the debut album Take Me to the Sea by Jaguar Love - a band that includes former members of The Blood Brothers and Pretty Girls Make Graves - gets nudged out.

1. My Morning Jacket Evil Urges (ATO)
2. Conor Oberst Conor Oberst (Merge)
3. Vampire Weekend Vampire Weekend (XL)
4. T.I. Paper Trail (Grand Hustle/Atlantic)
5. Adele 19 (XL/Columbia)
6. Gnarls Barkley The Odd Couple (Atlantic)
7. Lupe Fiasco The Cool (Atlantic)
8. Hot Chip Made in the Dark (Astralwerks)
9. The Hush Sound Goodbye Blues (Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic)
10. Kardinal Offishall Not 4 Sale (Kon Live/Geffen)
11. Death Vessel Nothing Is Precious Enough For Us (Sub Pop)
12. Wolf Parade At Mount Zoomer (Sub Pop)
13. Death Cab for Cutie Narrow Stairs (Atlantic)
14. Dizzee Rascal Maths & English (Definitive Jux)
15. Death Angel Killing Season (Nuclear Blast America)
16. Shy Child Noise Won’t Stop (Kill Rock Stars)
17. Beck Modern Guilt (Interscope)
18. TV on the Radio Dear Science (Interscope)
19. Disturbed Indestructible (Warner Brothers/Reprise)
20. Jazmine Sullivan Fearless (J Records)