To give you a better idea of how this works, I present this rough outline of the rating system that we keep in mind while reviewing albums and rewarding them with a final score.  It's often not easy deciding just where the album falls, and since tastes change, the score might be altered in the future as well. 

10.0 - The Perfect Score... reserved for albums that are perfect in every way, which there are very few that are flawless

9.0 to 9.9 - Great to near perfect, very few flaws and truly classic material
8.0 to 8.9 - Very good album but falls short of greatness in a few areas
7.0 to 7.9 - Good album, misses in a few key places but still recommended
6.0 to 6.9 - Decent album, lacking in several places with lots of room for improvement
5.0 to 5.9 - Average to a bit above average
4.0 to 4.9 - Below Average, may have a gem or two but needs plenty of work
3.0 to 3.9 - Not very good at all, missing the mark too much to be enjoyable
2.0 to 2.9 - Awful, why was this even made?
1.0 to 1.9 - Absolute trash, unlistenable
0.0 to 0.9 - Abysmal.  Reserved for discs that could only be used as frisbees or coasters

Portals to other Key Areas of the Domain:
Album Reviews ~ Interviews ~ Features ~ What's New

Rating system 'ironed out' by Steven, Joseph White, and Alanna Evans 2000