Everybody reviews music differently, because music means different things to different people. A 4.5 star review here may garner a 5 star rating at somewhere else. Many times, we just hear nuances that no one else seems to hear. "Why don't you like so-and-so record? It's my favourite of all time!" Music does funny things. It polarizes opinion, but in the community of RateYourMusic.com, we have also proof of solidarity. No one seems to be able to agree on the best record of all time, but we can all agree on the shittiest.

So, without further to do, a guide to my ratings:

5 * - Perfect - it's just got that X-factor, mojo I think they call it. The entire record is soaking in X-factor (Must be all that chemical X). No need to worry about songs here, this record will take you on supremely satisfying journey.

4.5 * - Excellent - 2 possibilities here. One, a 5-star record with a blemish, a flaw, or two...Two, a great excellent record, great songs, rock solid overall, but as a whole, just doesn't reach the heights of a 5 star record.

4 * - Very Good - Quite solid, great music movements, but something somewhere's not clicking right as an album. Maybe a drop in quality, a lull in a movement, or some intentional quirkiness that doesn't go where the music could have risen.

3.5 * - Good - Solid, Great music moments, but there are portions of the album which are average or worse, like a poor song or even a full blown B-sides onslaught from tracks 7-9. Album as a whole works though.

2.5-3 * - Average - Enjoyable, but there are long periods of ho-hum or even bleh. Most albums fall in here, but since I mostly listen to good stuff, my music usually falls in the above categories.

2 * - Bad - If this is was a RPG game. I would salvage maybe two or three items, trade it to another account, and then start a new one, because I pumped the wrong stats. A melee pure mage, to use an RPG cliche. A spectacularly unspectacular listen.

1.5 * - Turd - This is the point where I start desperately seeking for any redeeming value instead of problems, because the "good" is now as rare as diamonds.

1 * - HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAA - The lowest possible. For absolute wastes of space. They even have shitty covers, so forget about using them as drink coasters. Advice is to start a big CD and vinyl bonfire

0.5 * - Purgatory - Did I say 1* was the lowest possible? I lied. Not even a redeeming fucking second.

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Music has certainly enriched my life, and I'm grateful for it and the wonderful ear-gasms one receives from a truly great record. Long live MUSIC!