CLUES TO THE CLUES :

Act 1 : Electronic Hans-Peter = Lindström
Act 2 : Russian Waters Origin = Okkervil River
Act 3 : Tuscan Desert-Rock = Calexico
Act 4 : Space-Age-Exotica = El Guincho
Act 5 : Husband/Wife Indie = Deerhoof

THE WINNER :

Sorry! No winner this month, as nobody´s guess was Okkervil River. Therefore two CD´s are in the Jackpot for next month´s competition.

REMEMBER :

The new rule : Guess the highest new entry AND it´s exact position (as a tiebreaker).

SEAN PAK :

Thank you for your compliments on my monthly feature. It´s nice to get a positive feedback, as it is quite a lot of work.

BOB DYLAN´S BOOTLEG :

I decided against including Bob Dylan´s Bootleg Album in the Mega-Critic chart, but here is his non-competitive actual position :

19. (00 ) 67,24 - 81,04 (13 ) Bob Dylan ´Tell Tale Signs : The Bootleg Series Vol.8´
EU : 28. 67,38 - UK : 00000000 - US : 60. 66,11 - MC : 91

Also GAS with ´Nah und Fern´ has been eliminated this month from the US-Chart, as it is a remastered collection.

TV ON THE RADIO :

Without that very nasty review (33/100) from ´Svenska Dagbladet´s Missis Kristin Lundell, TV On The Radio would be at # 4 in Europe (71,67) and # 2 in the combined Mega-Critic chart (74,44).

THE MEGA-CRITIC CHART :

The current position is followed by last month´s position in brackets, then the adjusted score, followed by the average rating and the number of reviews in brackets.

The scores after the title are the individual positions/adjusted scores for Europe, the UK and the US, followed by the current Metacritic score.

indicates a New Entry
indicates Peak Position
indicates a Re-Entry

50. (43 ) 64,96 - 76,92 (13 ) Flying Lotus ´Los Angeles´
EU : 71. 63,45 - UK : 00000000 - US : 48. 66,71 - MC : 00

49. (00 ) 64,97 - 73,16 (19 ) Calexico ´Carried To Dust´
EU : 93. 62,46 - UK : 93. 65,91 - US : 44. 67,17 - MC : 78

47. (41 ) 65,00 - 72,43 (21 ) Joan As A Police Woman ´To Survive´
EU : 00000000 - UK : 13. 71,43 - US : 00000000 - MC : 76

47. (41 ) 65,00 - 74,75 (16 ) Neon Neon ´Stainless Style´
EU : 00000000 - UK : 22. 70,41 - US : 00000000 - MC : 79

46. (40 ) 65,04 - 75,47 (15 ) Al Green ´Lay It Down´
EU : 43. 65,29 - UK : 00000000 - US : 39. 67,44 - MC : 81

45. (00 ) 65,19 - 79,55 (11 ) Fucked Up ´The Chemistry Of Modern Life´
EU : 00000000 - UK : 36. 69,12 - US : 13. 69,27 - MC : 83

44. (39 ) 65,20 - 71,52 (25 ) Beck ´Modern Guilt´
EU : 51. 64,65 - UK : 00000000 - US : 64. 65,80 - MC : 77

43. (38 ) 65,24 - 73,58 (19 ) Spiritualized ´Songs In A & E´
EU : 97. 92,19 - UK : 62. 67,05 - US : 42. 67,28 - MC : 76

42. (37 ) 65,24 - 71,58 (25 ) Cat Power ´Jukebox´
EU : 29. 66,72 - UK : 00000000 - US : 84. 64,90 - MC : 72

41. (36 ) 65,31 - 71,68 (25 ) Magnetic Fields ´Distortion´
EU : 25. 67,78 - UK : 00000000 - US : 36. 67,50 - MC : 79

40. (00 ) 65,33 - 74,36 (11 ) Opeth ´Watershed´
EU : 13. 69,56 - UK : 00000000 - US : 00000000 - MC : 82

39. (35 ) 65,33 - 74,71 (17 ) Why? ´Alopecia´
EU : 00000000 - UK : 00000000 - US : 09. 70,10 - MC : 76

38. (34 ) 65,33 - 71,98 (24 ) The Breeders ´Mountain Battles´
EU : 00000000 - UK : 38. 68,37 - US : 18. 68,93 - MC : 75

37. (00 ) 65,36 - 77,65 (13 ) Gang Gang Dance ´Saint Dymphna´
EU : 00000000 - UK : 00000000 - US : 07. 70,49 - MC : 80

36. (00 ) 65,42 - 75,44 (16 ) Lindström ´Where You Go I Go Too´
EU : 91. 62,60 - UK : 85. 66,18 - US : 28. 68,04 - MC : 82

35. (33 ) 65,46 - 72,77 (22 ) Lykke Li ´Youth Novels´
EU : 34. 65,90 - UK : 79. 66,33 - US : 00000000 - MC : 76

34. (32 ) 65,47 - 77,85 (13 ) Robert Forster ´The Evangelist´
EU : 23. 67,89 - UK : 00000000 - US : 00000000 - MC : 81

33. (31 ) 65,67 - 73,43 (21 ) The Black Keys ´Attack And Release´
EU : 30. 66,69 - UK : 79. 66,33 - US : 00000000 - MC : 76

32. (30 ) 65,70 - 77,36 (14 ) Bonnie ´Prince´ Billy ´Lie Down In The Light´
EU : 44. 65,18 - UK : 44. 67,65 - US : 94. 64,52 - MC : 80

31. (00 ) 65,71 - 79,33 (12 ) Deerhunter ´Microcastle´
EU : 00000000 - UK : 00000000 - US : 10. 69,76 - MC : 84

30. (29 ) 65,83 - 73,32 (22 ) Wolf Parade ´At Mount Zoomer´
EU : 24. 67,84 - UK : 00000000 - US : 25. 68,21 - MC : 78

29. (28 ) 66,10 - 73,71 (22 ) Santogold ´Santogold´
EU : 26. 67,58 - UK : 00000000 - US : 17. 69,13 - MC : 77

28. (27 ) 66,17 - 79,16 (13 ) Late Of The Pier ´Fantasy Black Channel´
EU : 56. 64,28 - UK : 09. 73,47 - US : 00000000 - MC : 00

27. (26 ) 66,20 - 75,56 (18 ) Los Campesinos! ´Hold On Now, Youngster´
EU : 66. 63,68 - UK : 38. 68,37 - US : 43. 67,22 - MC : 81

26. (00 ) 66,37 - 74,48 (21 ) Okkervil River ´The Stand Ins´
EU : 42. 65,30 - UK : 72. 66,67 - US : 35. 67,55 - MC : 79

25. (25 ) 66,41 - 75,89 (18 ) Drive-By Truckers ´Brighter Than Creation´s Dark´
EU : 07. 70,70 - UK : 00000000 - US : 92. 64,71 - MC : 83

24. (24 ) 66,43 - 73,26 (25 ) R.E.M. ´Accelerate´
EU : 61. 63,93 - UK : 24. 69,39 - US : 40. 67,35 - MC : 79

23. (23 ) 66,50 - 82,09 (11 ) Glasvegas ´Glasvegas´
EU 14. 69,41 - UK : 24. 69,39 - US : 00000000 - MC : 83

22. (22 ) 66,51 74,69 (21 ) The Gutter Twins ´Saturnalia´
EU : 16. 68,85 - UK : 41. 67,95 - US : 00000000 - MC : 80

21. (21 ) 66,86 - 73,88 (25 ) Hot Chip ´Made In The Dark´
EU : 36. 65,87 - UK : 00000000 - US : 11. 69,51 - MC : 78

20. (20 ) 66,90 - 74,54 (23 ) MGMT ´Oracular Spectacular´
EU : 09. 70,24 - UK : 22. 70,41 - US : 00000000 - MC : 76

19. (19 ) 67,12 - 75,60 (21 ) Black Mountain ´In The Future´
EU : 21. 68,19 - UK : 62. 67,05 - US : 63. 65,88 - MC : 79

18. (18 ) 67,38 - 76,90 (19 ) The Dodos ´Visiter´
EU : 47. 64,91 - UK : 19. 70,46 - US : 36. 67,50 - MC : 83

17. (16 ) 67,61 - 75,93 (22 ) Sigur Ros ´Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust´
EU : 12. 69,89 - UK : 24. 69,39 - US : 00000000 - MC : 81

16. (15 ) 67,66 - 78,47 (17 ) No Age ´Nouns´
EU : 18. 68,56 - UK : 00000000 - US : 20. 68,73 - MC : 79

15. (14 ) 67,87 - 75,96 (23 ) The Last Shadow Puppets ´The Age Of The Understatement´
EU : 04. 71,53 - UK : 79. 66,33 - US : 00000000 - MC : 77

14. (17 ) 67,92 - 79,56 (16 ) The Bug ´London Zoo´
EU : 40. 65,53 - UK : 12. 71,59 - US : 45. 67,10 - MC : 90

13. (13 ) 67,94 - 78,91 (17 ) Elbow ´The Seldom Seen Kid´
EU : 54. 64,42 - UK : 06. 74,49 - US : 00000000 - MC : 82

12. (12 ) 68,86 - 79,18 (19 ) Silver Jews ´Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea´
EU : 22. 68,03 - UK : 16. 70,51 - US : 22. 68,53 - MC : 78

11. (11 ) 69,26 - 80,39 (18 ) Erykah Badu ´New Amerykah : Part One (4th World War)´
EU : 17. 68,60 - UK : 33. 69,23 - US : 08. 70,11 - MC : 82

10. (10 ) 69,53 - 81,47 (17 ) Lil Wayne ´Tha Carter III´
EU : 05. 71,06 - UK : 44. 67,65 - US : 15. 69,22 - MC : 82

09. (09 ) 69,77 - 81,19 (18 ) Randy Newman ´Harps & Angels´
EU : 03. 72,12 - UK : 44. 67,65 - US : 46. 67,08 - MC : 85

08. (08 ) 70,63 - 78,89 (26 ) Vampire Weekend ´Vampire Weekend´
EU : 06. 70,97 - UK : 13. 71,43 - US : 12. 69,46 - MC : 82

07. (07 ) 70,89 - 79,94 (24 ) Hercules And Love Affair ´Hercules And Love Affair´
EU : 20. 68,23 - UK : 06. 74,49 - US : 05. 71,18 - MC : 86

06. (06 ) 71,84 - 80,92 (25 ) The Hold Steady ´Stay Positive´
EU : 11. 70,14 - UK : 05. 75,51 - US : 06. 70,80 - MC : 85

05. (05 ) 71,87 - 81,76 (23 ) Bon Iver ´For Emma, Forver Ago´
EU : 10. 70,19 - UK : 01. 77,55 - US : 21. 68,63 - MC : 89

04. (03 ) 73,15 - 82,40 (26 ) Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds ´Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!´
EU : 08. 70,29 - UK : 02. 76,53 - US : 02. 74,11 - MC : 87

03. (04 ) 73,30 - 82,62 (26 ) TV On The Radio ´Dear Silence´
EU : 15. 69,16 - UK : 02. 76,53 - US : 01. 76,16 - MC : 88

02. (02 ) 74,07 - 83,69 (26 ) Portishead ´Third´
EU : 02. 74,48 - UK : 06. 74,49 - US : 03.73,13 - MC : 85

01. (01 ) 76,56 - 88,06 (24 ) Fleet Foxes ´Fleet Foxes´
EU : 01. 79,83 - UK : 02. 76,53 - US : 04. 71,96 - MC : 87

THE BUBBLERS :

100.(00 ) 62,95 - 71,93 (15 ) Emiliana Torrini ´Me And Armini´
EU : 87. 62,77 - UK : 93. 65,91 - US : 00000000 - MC : 74

99. (00 ) 62,96 - 70,88 (17 ) Of Montreal ´Skeletal Lamping´
EU : 00000000 - UK : 00000000 - US : 00000000 - MC : 71

94. (00 ) 63,06 - 69,85 (20 ) Mogwai ´The Hawk Is Howling´
EU : 00000000 - UK : 54. 67,35 - US : 00000000 - MC : 76

92. (00 ) 63,09 - 76,70 (10 ) Dungen ´4´
EU : 75. 63,38 - UK : 00000000 - US : 00000000 - MC : 78

86. (00 ) 63,18 - 75,64 (11 ) The Week That Was ´The Week That Was´
EU : 00000000 - UK : 62. 67,05 - US : 00000000 - MC : 83

85. (00 ) 63,19 - 72,33 (15 ) The Walkmen ´You & Me´
EU : 00000000 - UK : 00000000 - US : 00000000 - MC : 82

73. (00 ) 63,90 - 75,53 (15 ) The Acorn ´Glory Hope Mountain´
EU : 00000000 - UK : 62. 67,05 - US : 00000000 - MC : 00

70. (00 ) 63,93 - 77,09 (11 ) El Guincho ´Alegranza´
EU : 00000000 - UK : 62. 67,05 - US : 82. 65,00 - MC : 00

67. (00 ) 64,01 - 72,11 (18 ) Deerhoof ´Offend Maggie´
EU : 00000000 - UK : 85. 66,18 - US : 41. 67,32 - MC : 81

66. (75 ) 64,02 - 74,43 (14 ) Giant Sand ´proVISIONS´
EU : 49. 64,68 - UK : 00000000 - US : 81. 65,12 - MC : 74

FURTHER EU-POSITIONS :

19. (17 ) 68,51 Ry Cooder ´I, Flathead´
27. (27 ) 67,50 Madrugada ´Madrugada´
28. (28 ) 67,02 The Notwist ´The Devil, You And Me´
31. (31 ) 66,42 Brian Wilson ´That Lucky Old Sun´
32. (32 ) 66,17 Elvis Costello & The Imposters ´Momofuku´
33. (33 ) 66,10 Conor Oberst ´Conor Oberst´
35. (35 ) 65,89 Death Cab For Cutie ´Narrow Stairs´
37. (37 ) 65,77 Willard Grant Conspiracy ´Pilgrim Road´
38. (38 ) 65,70 Tindersticks ´The Hungry Saw´
39. (39 ) 65,61 Ron Sexsmith ´Exit Strategy Of the Soul´
41. (40 ) 65,49 Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan ´Sunday At Devil Dirt´
45. (43 ) 65,00 Sascha Funke ´Mango´
45. (43 ) 65,00 Emmylou Harris ´All I Intended To Be´
48. (46 ) 64,90 Be Your Own Pet ´Get Awkward´
50. (48 ) 64,68 Cass Mccombs ´Dropping The Writ´

FURTHER UK-POSITIONS :

10. (10 ) 72,45 British Sea Power ´Do You Like Rock Music´
11. (11 ) 72,41 Plush ´Fed´
15. (15 ) 70,59 Eliza Carthey ´Dreams Of Breathing Underwater´
16. (16 ) 70,51 Johnny Flynn ´A Larum´
16. (16 ) 70,51 Paul Weller ´22 Dreams´
19. (19 ) 70,46 White Denim ´Workout Holiday´
19. (32 ) 70,46 Metallica ´Death Magnetic´
24. (23 ) 69,39 These New Puritans ´Beat Pyramid´
24. (23 ) 69,39 Mystery Jets ´Twenty One´
29. (28 ) 69,32 Cass McCombs ´Dropping The Writ´
29. (28 ) 69,32 Wild Beasts ´Limbo Panto´
29. (28 ) 69,32 Roots Manuva ´Slime & Reason´
29. (28 ) 69,32 David Holmes ´The Holy Pictures´
33. (32 ) 69,23 DeVotchKa ´A Mad And Faithful Telling´
33. (32 ) 69,23 Teddy Thompson ´A Piece Of What You Need´
36. (36 ) 69,12 Thea Gilmore ´Liejacker´
38. (37 ) 68,37 The Raconteurs ´Consolers Of the Lonely´
41. (40 ) 67,95 Cadence Weapon ´Afterparty Babies´
41. (40 ) 67,95 Sparks ´Exotic Creatures Of The Deep´
44. (43 ) 67,65 Toumani Diabaté ´The Mandé Variations´
44. (43 ) 67,65 Benga ´Diary Of An Afro Warrior´
44. (43 ) 67,65 Fuck Buttons ´Street Horrrsing´
44. (43 ) 67,65 Flight Of The Conchords ´Flight Of The Conchords´
44. (43 ) 67,65 Kasai All Stars ´In The 7th Moon ...´
44. (43 ) 67,65 Lindsey Buckingham ´Gift Of Screws
44. (00 ) 67,65 Bellowhead ´Matachin´

FURTHER US-POSITIONS :

14. (11 ) 69,24 Robyn ´Robyn´ (2005)
15. (12 ) 69,22 Mountain Goats ´Heretic Pride´
19. (16 ) 68,78 Times New Viking ´Rip It Off´
23. (20 ) 68,48 Wire ´Object 47´
24. (21 ) 68,33 Torche ´Meanderthal´
26. (23 ) 68,17 High Places ´High Places´
27. (25 ) 68,06 Shugo Tokumaru ´Exit´
29. (48 ) 67,93 Leila ´Blood, Looms & Blooms´
30. (26 ) 67,72 Ellen Allien ´Sool´
31. (27 ) 67,68 Matmos ´Supreme Balloon´
32. (28 ) 67,65 Destroyer ´Trouble In Dreams´
33. (29 ) 67,56 Kelley Polar ´I Need You To Hold On ...´
33. (29 ) 67,56 Harvey Milk ´Life ... The Best Game In Town´
36. (00 ) 67,50 Women ´Women´
47. (40 ) 66,81 Food For Animals ´Belly´
49. (42 ) 66,67 Beach House ´Devotion´
49. (42 ) 66,67 Health ´Disco´
49. (00 ) 66,67 Jamey Johnson ´That Lonesome Song´
49. (00 ) 66,67 Juana Molina ´Un Dia´

I expect Deerhunter to climb quickly as European and UK reviews come in. (Oh, and EOY charts get added.)

It's nice to know Dylan would have been in the top 20.

I knew Deerhunter wouldn't have enough reviews yet, but I didn't think Okkervil River would be the one to edge it out.

This TV On The Radio thing is the reason I designed a system that didn't use a straight average. A lot of reviewers, when they don't like an album that everybody else seems to love, give a lower score to it than they would normally to compensate for the hype. I don't think a single review should have that much power over the final score.

My preliminary vote will be Kanye West, #20. Though, metacritic's release dates have been known to be inaccurate in the past, so that vote is obviously dependent on whether it actually comes out.

Q-Tip - The Renaissance (#16)

Stefan, the 'math nerd' in me wants to ask you a question regarding the adjusted score.

Assuming that you use the same formula as Henrik, which contains a mysterious degree of disbelief (D), how do you determine this value for D (I believe in your case it is about 10.4)?

Andre, I think I suggested this D (or something around this value) to Stefan, based on my experience on what D value that best predicts the upcoming EOY lists. Does it seem too high or too low to you?

No, Henrik, the value is perfectly fine with me.

I was just wondering, if there was another formula behind it. I can imagine that the value depends on the number of possible samples (in this case 26 reviews). The higher the number of reviews, the lower the degree of disbelief and closer the adjusted score gets to the average score.

Thanks for the clarification!

Kayne West 808's and Heartbreak

22

I'll say Kanye West at 15.

i would say kanye west at 19...

I'll say Q-Tip @ 18

That Q-Tip is lookin' good, reviews-wise.... I'm gonna wait for more word on the new Kanye though.

I think I'll say Q-Tip @ 12. I haven't heard it yet, but given the reviews I can't wait to hear it now.

Since everyone here is saying Q-Tip, I'm going to play devil's advocate here and go with "Sycamore Meadows" by Butch Walker

Butch Walker at #22, that is.

Who's Butch Walker? Anyone I should put on my 'Check out the myspace page of to decide if I want the album' list?

Butch Walker was the leader member of the power pop band Marvelous 3 who made 3 good records in the late '90s/early '00s.

I wonder what direction Kanye is going in his new album. More below average rapping over very well chosen samples (That he then gets credit for because most of his fans have never heard the original song) about political issues that have been briefly explained to him five minutes before he wrote it?

I retract my previous guess (is that allowed) of butch walker, and change it to Q-tip, at #15.

Q-Tip # 12

Just wondering, STEFAN, does the "US: 00000000" mean there haven't been any US reviews entered? Because Pitchfork reviewed Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilem (7.5), The Age of the Understatement (7.7), and The Seldom Seen Kid (7.8). And Rolling Stone mag reviewed The Age of the Understatement (3/5) and Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilem (4/5). And those reviews came before the last update. Just checking if you missed 'em. Or have you stopped entering scores for earlier albums?

Keep up the good work!

Dear Sean Pak

For the individual charts (EU,UK and US) I only consider the actual Top 100. Please find here their adjusted scores and number of US reviews :

- 64,15 (5/8 Reviews) Elbow
- 63,80 (6/8 Reviews) The Last Shadow Puppets
- 62,39 (6/8 Reviews) Sigur Ros

Stefan, Girl Talk's "Feed the Animals" has already been #2 and #7 in BLENDER's and Paste's EOY lists, but it's not listed here at all. Are the reviews too few or extremely mixed?

Ah, duly noted.

Here are a few things I'm afraid about now that EOY lists are gonna be added.

MGMT's, No Age's, and Black Mountain's new ones, which have deservedly been in the top 20 so far due to strong reviews, will probably be virtually forgotten on the upcoming lists, either because they were released so early in the year, or because of low name recognition. Meanwhile, comparably big names with weaker albums, like Metallica, Conor Oberst, and the Drive-By Truckers, who have been deservedly lower so far, will now climb.

Henrik

Girl Talk have an overall adjusted score of 57,75
Their US adjusted score is (7/8) 64,51 (# 98)
UK reviews (2/7) and EU reviews (1/11) are very few

Sean Pak

The EOY-Lists are not gonna be added to the Mega-Critic-Chart. They are added up in Henrik´s EOY-chart.

My vote goes to The Fireman (Paul McCartney + Youth).

Oh ok, thanks for the clarification. I figured you were gonna put in EOY lists like you did last year, but that was before it was called Mega-Critic.

Following up to Henrik's comment, in addition to Girl Talk, Of Montreal has placed on 3 EOY lists while only managing a ranking of 99 on the review list.

On the flip side, the second best reviewed album of the year (Portishead) has managed to place on only 2 lists (relatively low I might add) and Hercules and Love Affair (7th best reviewed is only on 1 list so far).

But what I think is most surprising, is even though it is VERY early, there is already a strong correlation between the reviews and the lists. In looking at the top ten on both the reviews and the lists, they share SEVEN common albums. I suspect that bond will become stronger as more lists (as well as possibly more reviews) come rolling in. So Stefan...I very much look forward to your monthly updates, and hope they continue for a long time to come!

Following on Doug's last sentence:

No matter the fate of Henrik's AM site (whether he indeed stops updating after next year or not), I hope that STEFAN continues Mega-Critic, either here or on a site of his own, because right now it's my main source for critically acclaimed albums. I find it better than RYM and metacritic. If this ends together with AM, I won't know where to go for music reference!

I'll say Amadou & Mariam at number 25. Hopefully it gets enough reviews.

Hey! would it be possible to temporarily add the megacritic lists to the EOY lists, then?

SuperFurry:
I'd have guessed Amadou and Mariam, but since it's currently available solely in the Us I doubt it will recieve enough reviews to make the list.

Amadou & Mariam recently got reviewed in the NME and Uncut, so who knows?!