Young Jeezy - TM:103 Hustlerz Ambition

Young Jeezy is back with the third in his Thug Motivation series of albums, and the tracks on this album would not sound out of place on either of the previous two TM albums. That's a good thing; TM:103 is filled with the type of street anthems that made Jeezy his name, and in a world where the likes of Drake are dominating with R&B tinged efforts, it's refreshing to hear a straight up, banging hip hop album. Jeezy is not the most thoughtful lyricist around but that has never been his strength. What is his strength is charisma and delivering anthems for the street, and he has done that superbly on TM:103, a fitting addition to an excellent series of albums.

Rating: 8/10
Top Tracks: What I Do (Just Like That), OJ, Trapped, F.A.M.E.
Release Date: 20 December 2011

The Black Keys – El Camino

The Black Keys’ breakthrough into the rock mainstream came with last year’s album Brothers, which included hits like Tighten Up and Howling For You. Whilst that album was brilliant, El Camino is even better. The twosome’s dirty blues-rock has been honed and sleeked up with the help of producer Danger Mouse, and they have delivered an album of eleven massive rock tunes, full of energy, building-sized riffs, pounding drums and huge choruses. That two people can make such a racket is quite astounding, and that they can keep it up over the course of a whole album even more so. Every track is as brilliant as the last and the songs have clearly been made with intention of rocking the arenas they now routinely fill like they have never been rocked before. Mission accomplished.

Rating: 9/10
Top Tracks: Lonely Boy, Gold on the Ceiling, Sister, Nova Baby

Release Date: 6 December 2011

The Roots - Undun

It takes a lot to be both innovative and consistent, and The Roots are the most innovative, most consistent hip hop act in the world bar none. They have been around 20 years and have barely ever put a foot wrong, releasing classic album after classic album. Undun could just be their best one yet. It is the story of a street hustler’s life and early death, told backwards from death to birth. The production by ?uestlove is flawless and suits the depressing subject matter perfectly – Undun is probably the most downbeat album The Roots have ever released, but it’s also the most beautiful and engrossing. Rapper Black Thought is an intelligent and engaging MC and he tells the story vividly through his rhymes, with the help of a few guests who also contribute impressively. The Roots have been the go-to men for intelligent hip hop for almost two decades now, and with Undun they have set the bar higher than it’s ever been. A late contender for album of 2011, in any genre.

Rating: 10/10

Top Tracks: Make My, One Time, Kool On, Stomp, Lighthouse

Release Date: 6 December 2011

Nickelback - Here and Now

It is one of the great mysteries of life how Nickelback have managed to sell 21 million albums in their career. They have made some pretty catchy (if samey) tunes but surely the recycled riffs and cringe-worthy lyrics about partying, beer and girls should have got boring by now? Evidently not. Not surprisingly, Here and Now doesn't deviate from their established template: radio-friendly rock with some mushy ballads thrown in. The band's sound hasn't changed a bit over the years, so if you liked previous Nickelback albums I would guess you'll like this one and buy it, and millions of people will probably agree with you and do the same. A bit of advice - save your money and listen to the last one again. Or the one previous to that, makes no difference.

Rating: 4/10
Top Tracks: Bottoms Up
Release Date: 21 November 2011

Rihanna - Talk That Talk

If Rihanna actually had sex as much as she sings and talks about it, the Barbadian pop superstar wouldn't have time for a music career at all. As it is, Talk That Talk is her 6th album in as many years, extremely prolific in these times, when most artists release an album every two or three years. Thankfully she seems to have got the S&M themes out of her system, and Talk That Talk more often seems to mention love than the whips and chains her previous couple of albums seemed so obsessed with. The music on the album is upbeat, catchy and club-ready, with production by heavyweights like The-Dream, No I.D., Dr. Luke and Stargate. There are a couple of ballads to break up any monotony, but generally Talk That Talk is an album of euphoric, accomplished dance-pop that is the perfect fit for the coming summer months.

Rating: 8/10
Top Tracks: We Found Love, We All Want Love, Where Have You Been
Release Date: 21 November 2011

Drake - Take Care

Drake is one of the biggest stars in hip hop right now after the massive success of his debut album Thank Me Later, and he looks to build on that with his latest, Take Care. The album is as downtempo and downbeat as any hip hop album released this year, with Drake doing more forlorn crooning than rapping, and the production matching the mood with it's sombre backdrops for his bleak, introspective songs about failed relationships and the hardship of fame. He is a talented rapper, so on the occasions when he does decide to put those skills to use it comes as a welcome relief from all the morose self-pity of his singing. The album is well executed and consistent and will certainly go down well with fans of his first album, but don't put it on at a party unless you want everyone to go home.

Rating: 6/10
Top Tracks: Headlines, Crew Love, Make Me Proud
Release Date: 15 November 2011

Wale - Ambition

Wale is one of the more gifted rappers around, so it was a disappointment that his debut album, Attention Deficit, didn't live up to expections. The DC wordsmith has now regrouped and signed up to Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group (MMG) label in the hopes that it will provide the boost he needs to put him up with the big names of hip hop. Ambition is his first album for MMG and it sees him adopt a more gangsta, boastful style than his previous album and mixtapes. It works at times, and Ambition has some excellent tracks on it. However, the allure of all his self-aggrandisement wears a little thin at times. Wale is technically a very good lyricist but there only so many ways to say how hard you work and how great you are. Ambition is not a bad album by any stretch - the big name production is excellent and he is a charismatic MC - but as a shot at the big time, it falls slightly short.

Rating: 7/10
Top Tracks: Don't Hold Your Applause, Lotus Flower Bomb, Chain Music
Release Date: 1 November 2011

Kelly Clarkson - Stronger

The original American Idols winner is back with a new album and, whilst other Idols winners have come and gone faster than you can blink, with Stronger she continues to prove that it is possible to have an extended career having been on that program. Stronger is certainly not groundbreaking, but it is full of the kind of pop-rock anthems and power ballads that have served Clarkson so well in her career so far. Her voice is the best it has ever sounded now she has added nuance to what was an already powerful instrument, and the set of songs shows it off well. She is never going to be testing the boundaries of music but she knows what works for her and she does it very well indeed. Incredibly now five albums into her career, Stronger is Kelly Clarkson's best yet.

Top Tracks: Mr. Know It All, What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger), You Love Me
Rating: 7/10
Release Date: 24 October 2011

Florence + The Machine - Ceremonials

Second albums are notoriously difficult for artists, particularly when their first album was as brilliant as Florence + The Machine's debut, Lungs. Florence Welch, however, makes it look easy with Ceremonials. Welch has ramped up the melodrama on this album to levels which would look plain silly in the hands of mere mortals, but she has a voice of incredible power and depth, and the backing of tribal drums, swirling strings and gothic orchestration suits her perfectly. The songs tracks on Ceremonials pull you in and won't let you go as Welch rages against the darkness and the music takes you with it as it achieves transcendence. It's as theatrical and over-the-top a pop album as will be released all year and it shouldn't work, but it does - Ceremonials is a classic. Britain has not seen a pop star anything like Florence Welch since Kate Bush arrived on the scene in the 1970's. That is high praise indeed, but on the basis of her first two albums she absolutely deserves it.

Top Tracks: Shake It Out, What The Water Gave Me, Never Let Me Go, Leave My Body
Rating: 9/10
Release Date: 1 November 2011

Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto

Hot on the heels of Coldplay's triumphant South African shows, their latest album arrives in our shops, and it's an excellent addition to a discography already brimming with brilliance. Chris Martin's songwriting muse continues to deliver, and Mylo Xyloto is packed with memorable songs which vary from sweeping and epic to spare, beautiful ballads. Through it all Martins sense of melody shines through, as does the accomplished instrumentation of his bandmates. Coldplay have been one of the biggest bands on earth for the last decade and they once again prove why on Mylo Xyloto - it's because they are a group of supremely talented musicians fronted by a man with the voice of an angel and songwriting skills to die for. In a world where popularity seems to be determined by hype and outrageous behaviour, it's extremely comforting to find a band that have achieved global superstardom by nothing else other than being very, very good at what they do.

Top Tracks: Paradise, Us Against The World, Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall
Rating: 8/10
Release Date: 24 October 2011

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds - Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds

Since the implosion of Oasis a couple of years back, we have been waiting patiently to see what Noel Gallagher does next. Would his new band sound like Oasis or would Gallagher Snr., freed from the constraints of his old band, go out on a limb and try to do something more experimental? It's probably to our benefit that Noel doesn't get too experimental on us with Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, but rather delivers a set of well crafted pop-rock songs. There are certainly echoes of Oasis on the album, and why wouldn't there be, seeing as Noel wrote most of that band's material? ...High Flying Birds is mellower than Oasis though, with less bombast, screaming and guitar soloing, and more finesse and melody. The songs are strong and, although he is no Liam, Noel is in fine voice throughout. ...High Flying Birds is a very good, mature album by a 40-something artist with nothing left to prove to anyone, and it's a fine addition to Noel Gallagher's already impressive back catalogue.

Top Tracks: Dream On, If I Had A Gun..., The Death Of You And Me, AKA...What A Life!
Rating: 7/10
Release Date: 17 October 2011

Ryan Adams - Ashes & Fire

In the late 90's and early 00's, Ryan Adams was the poster boy for the alt-country movement, his albums with Whiskytown and as a solo artist earning gushing critical acclaim and leading to Adams being crowned the greatest musical talent of a generation. Then his star faded. Whilst Adams remained extremely prolific throughout the 00's, his albums became uneven, inconsistent affairs, with Adam's seemingly believing that every single thing he put to tape deserved to be released on an album. So it comes as a surprise that Ashes & Fire is as good as it is. It is full of the type of heartfelt alt-country ballads Adams made his name with and does so well. He is in fine voice too, every line filled with an emotion that lends weight and feeling to this set of stripped back gems. Whilst Ashes & Fire does hark back to Adams classics like Heartbreaker and Gold, it stands on it's own feet as one of the best albums of Ryan Adams' career.

Top Tracks: Ashes & Fire, Come Home, Kindness
Rating: 8/10
Release Date: 11 October 2011

Evanescence - Evanescence

It's been five years since Evanescence's last album, and Amy Lee is now the sole surviving original member of the band with all other members having been replaced. The time and line-up changes really haven't done too much to change Evanescence's sound though; the buzz-saw guitars and Lee's wailing over the top of it all with that half goth, half opera voice of hers are instantly familiar. The album is less dark and murky than previous Evanescence releases, maybe due to the change in producers, but the core Evanescence sound remains. It's almost as if the last few years of Lady Gaga and her elctropop takeover never happened and we are back in a music landscape dominated by Limp Biscuit and their nu-metal cronies. That's not to say this album is bad - it's not. There are some good tracks here and Lee's voice is awesome at times. But a bit of progression would not have gone amiss.

Top Tracks: What You Want, The Change, My Heart Is Broken
Rating: 6/10
Release Date: 11 October 2011

Roots Manuva - 4everevolution

Roots Manuva, the godfather of British hip hop and still it's most distinctive and original voice, is nearly 40 now, and yet his creativity still burns so bright that 4everevolution is the best album of his career. The album is a mix of hip hop, reggae, dub, electronica and pop that could have sounded unfocussed in hands less assured than Manuva's. He manages to make it sound like the most natural thing in the world; nothing seems out of place here. Lyrically, he is also right on top of his game, displaying the searing social conscience and wit that are his trademarks, and managing to convey a mass of meaning into each succinct line. Roots Manuva may be an elder statesman of hip hop now, but if he carries on like this he will be relevant for a long time to come still.

Top Tracks: Here We Go Again, Watch Me Dance, Wha' Mek?
Rating: 8/10
Release Date: 26 September 2011

Wilco - The Whole Love

Wilco have been around for well over 15 years now and The Whole Love is their eighth full length release, so they could be excused for having settled into the mediocrity that so many bands their age do. Wilco are apparently different, however; The Whole Love is, from start to finish, absolutely fantastic. It manages to be experimental, melodic, deep, and a whole lot of fun, all at the same time. For a band that has released such seminal albums as Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and Summerteeth to try to live up to their phenomenal back catalogue must be a daunting prospect indeed, but Wilco have done it here with seeming ease. There are plenty of upbeat pop-rock gems on the album, and a couple of heartfelt, beautiful ballads, and every song here oozes the class that Wilco long ago proved they possess. The Whole Love is a worthy addition to the formidable Wilco cannon.

Top Tracks: I Might, Dawned On Me, Born Alone, Standing O
Rating: 9/10
Release Date: 27 September 2011

Blink-182 - Neighborhoods

Eight years after their last full-length album, Blink-182 are back together and have a new album out for the world to hear. The band are now closer to 40 than 20 and that is reflected in the serious lyrics and proggy musicianship on display here. Quite frankly it's a relief - it would have been faintly ridiculous if they had returned with exactly the same sound and juvenile lyrics as they had ten years ago. There are certainly enough catchy tunes on here to satisfy the Blink-182 fans of old, but the three young upstarts of a decade ago have clearly grown up, and lyrically the album displays a seriousness completely absent from their early albums. It's to their credit that Blink-182's reunion is not just about cashing in on former glories and repeating past tricks, but rather about evolving beyond where they left off last time.

Top Tracks: Heart's All Gone, After Midnight, Natives
Rating: 7/10
Release Date: 27 September 2011

J. Cole - Cole World: The Sideline Story

J. Cole is a young American rapper and producer who has made a name for himself over the last two years with a couple of acclaimed mixtapes. Signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation label, expectations are high for his debut album proper. "Cole World: The Sideline Story" is not a bad album by any measure, in fact it's pretty good, but it doesn't quite live up to the massive hype. The production is accomplished and Cole is a talented lyricist, but the album lacks the killer punch. There is no obvious hit here that would take the album into the mainstream, and while verses are often very good, the choruses are often a bit of an anticlimax. Cole certainly has talent and it is visible in places on "Cole World", but he's going to have to up his game if he wants to force his way into the big time.

Top Tracks: Dollar and a Dream III, Can't Get Enough, Nobody's Perfect
Rating: 6/10
Release Date: 27 September 2011

St. Vincent - Strange Mercy

St. Vincent is really just a moniker for one Annie Clark, a Texan singer and songwriting who combines an experimental streak with honest, poetic lyrics and accessible melodies. Being both experimental and accessible is a neat trick to pull off and Clark does it with aplomb. The album is full of wonky synths and off-kilter drum patterns, the tempo often shifting within tracks to create an almost woozy effect. This is counterbalanced by Clark's gorgeous voice and her way with a vocal melody. There are also a couple of beautiful ballads thrown in that could compete with anything Adele has to offer. Strange Mercy grabs you on the first listen and only gets better with each subsequent play, revealing new complexities every time you hear it. Annie Clark is a singular talent, and one we are lucky to have around.

Top Tracks: Cruel, Strange Mercy, Neutered Fruit
Rating: 8/10
Release Date: 13 September 2011

Kasabian - Velociraptor!

Kasabian are a Northern English rock band in the Oasis tradition; brash, self-opinionated and prone to bold statements of their own greatness, the most surprising thing about them is that more often than not they actually live up to their boasts. Their last album, West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum, was a massive step up in quality from their first two and Velociraptor! continues the band's upwards momentum. This is quality rock music, very British in it's melodicism, with some touches of electronic experimentation thrown into the mix as well. Their are a couple of the driving electro-rock anthems that made their name for them but generally the album is more understated than previous efforts and it is the slower songs that are the most impressive. Velociraptor! is the sound of a band maturing into the greatness they so often proclaim themselves to possess.

Top Tracks: Goodbye Kiss, La Fee Verte, Neon Noon
Rating: 8/10
Release Date: 20 September 2011

Toddla T - Watch Me Dance

Toddla T is a DJ, producer and artist hailing from Sheffield in England. His second album, Watch Me Dance, showcases a taste in music so eclectic it's difficult to keep up with all the snatches of different genres. There are elements of pop, grime, soul, minimalist electro and lots else thrown into the stew, and incredibly it all works. Despite all the variety the album works as a whole too, a technicolour jigsaw of sound that creates a vibrant and engaging listen. The beats are inventive and fun, and guests on the album include legendary London rapper Roots Manuva, Shola Ama, and Roisin Murphy. This is an album that is impossible to classify and Toddla T is certainly not an artist that can be pigeonholed, but what can be said about Watch Me Dance is that is one of the most fun albums you will hear all year.

Top Tracks: Watch Me Dance, Cruise Control, Badman Flu
Rating: 8/10
Release Date: 13 September 2011

Lenny Kravitz - Black and White America

Lenny Kravitz's ninth album does not veer much from his tried and tested formula, and as such it is a melting pot of his usual American influences - rock, funk and soul. The music is executed with the expertise we have come to know from Kravitz and which has made him a household name the world over. His guitar playing is exemplary, his voice as soulful as ever, and Black and White America contains the best set of songs Kravitz has written in years. The album reflects on growing up with biracial heritage and expresses hope for a colourblind future, and it does this through the kind of catchy rock songs and virtuoso guitar playing that made Kravitz famous. If you're a Lenny Kravitz fan, Black and White America is indispensable.

Top Tracks: In The Black, Stand, Superlove
Rating: 8/10
Release Date: 29 August 2011

David Guetta - Nothing But the Beat

David Guetta's music is pretty much ubiquitous at present; you can't go to a shopping centre or club without hearing the French DJ/producer's music blaring through the speakers, accompanied by the vocals of one of the stable of guest singers he seems to have at his disposal. On "Nothing But the Beat" these guest vocalists include Flo Rida, Nicki Minaj, Taio Cruz, Ludacris, Usher, will.i.am, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Akon and Timbaland among others. It's dance music for the masses, for people who don't really like dance music as such but like pop music with a beat that they can drunkenly dance to in a nightclub. If you enjoyed the last David Guetta album or the tracks that you have heard on the radio like the Flo Rida assisted "Where Them Girls At" or the Snoop Dogg helmed "Sweat", then you will enjoy this album. If not, stay away.

Top Tracks: Where Them Girls At, Sweat, Nothing Really Matters
Rating: 6/10
Release Date: 29 August 2011

The Rapture - In the Grace of Your Love

It's been almost a decade since The Rapture emerged as the darlings of the New York dance-punk scene with their debut album "Echoes", and 5 years since their last album, so one could be forgiven for having forgotten about them completely. "In the Grace of Your Love" is a stirring reminder of what this trio can do, the best tracks a stomping mix of rump-shaking beats, funky bass-lines and singer Luke Jenner's yelping vocals that is almost impossible not to dance to. There are a couple of slower numbers too, interspersed among the dancier gems, but whilst they are not bad, they lack the punch of the rest of the album. The Rapture made their name by getting people onto the dancefloor and shaking their butts, and if "In the Grace of Your Love" proves anything, it's that after all these years they still haven't lost that knack.

Top Tracks: Sail Away, Miss You, Come Back to Me, In The Grace of Your Love
Rating: 8/10
Release Date: 5 September 2005

Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You

It's over 10 years now since the Red Hot Chili Peppers' revived their career with Californication. They have had a string of hit albums since then, although the last was in 2006 with the bloated double album Stadium Arcadium. Thankfully, I'm With You is a much more focused album than that one and has some decent tunes. Unfortunately, the loss of guitarist John Frusciante, who left the band before the recording of this album, has left a giant hole not properly filled by new man Josh Klinghoffer. The album is full of mid-tempo, middle-of-the-road classic rock tracks that anyone familiar with latter day Chilis will identify with. The difference between I'm With You and Californication or By The Way is the absence on this album of Frusciante; his nuance and melodicism is sorely missed. The tracks pass by in a haze of sameyness, the band knowing which buttons to push but the spark missing. Professionally executed but lacking in inspiration, I'm With You is the sound of a band that has run out of ideas.

Top Tracks: Brendan’s Death Song, Ethiopia
Rating: 6/10
Release Date: 30 August 2011

Lil Wayne - Tha Carter IV

In the 3 years between Tha Carter III, which turned Lil Wayne into a global superstar, and Tha Carter IV, Lil Wayne has released various mixtapes as well as an ill-advised rap-rock album, guested on numerous other artist's singles, signed Drake and Nicki Minaj to his Young Money label and spent 8 months in jail on weapons charges. So he's been busy - hopefully not too busy to spend enough time making sure Tha Carter IV lives up to the massive expectations that have been heaped on it. Turns out the expectations are just about half met - the album has some fantastic tracks but also some duds, and Wayne doesn't seem to be lyrically on the same level he was on a few years when just about every rhyme he spat was a classic. That said, it's a solid hip hop album, the production is excellent and there are excellent guest spots from the likes of Andre 3000, Busta Rhymes and Rick Ross among others. Still, it's a long time since Wayne has been outshone by his guests on his own album. A disappointing album by Wayne's impossibly high standards, but a very good one by any other benchmark.

Top Tracks: Blunt Blowin’, 6 Foot 7 Foot, She Will, Interlude, Outro
Rating: 7/10
Release Date: 29 August 2011

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Mirror Traffic

Mirror Traffic is Stephen Malkmus' 5th album since leaving indie-rock heroes Pavement, and it's by far his best effort without that band. The long, meandering jams of his more recent albums have been replaced by a return to more concise songs with the jangly, wonky melodicism that made Pavement the ultimate slacker band for college kids. His gift with a clever lyric remains intact and there is enough here to keep fans mulling over the meanings for a while to come. The band is tight, the songs rock in a typically offbeat Malkmus kind of way and Beck's production adds nicely to the mix. Whilst a Stephen Malkmus album will never be the same as a Pavement album for some people, Mirror Traffic is a well written, well performed set of excellent songs, and it stands up well in the Malkmus cannon.

Top Tracks: Tigers, Senator, Asking Price, Stick Figures In Love
Rating: 8/10
Release Date: 23 August 2011

Game - The R.E.D. Album

The R.E.D. Album, Game's first studio release since 2008's disappointing LAX, is the California rapper's attempt to make up ground lost on that album. He needs The R.E.D. album to be a success, and it shows. Game sounds focused, the album comes out of the blocks fast and for the first 12 tracks the indications are that it's going to be a classic. Unfortunately, it is 21 tracks long and the second half tapers off quite badly after that brilliant first half. Game tries his hand at a couple of slow-jam R&B numbers which only serve to prove that he's better off sticking to rugged street hip hop, and some of the other tracks are also of questionable quality. It's a common fault with hip hop albums that they are often too long, and this one could certainly have done with some more stringent quality control. That said, there are probably 12 great tracks on the album, and 12 great tracks out of 17 is not a bad strike rate at all.

Top Tracks: The City, Drug Test, Martians Vs Goblins, Red Nation
Rating: 7/10
Release Date: 23 August 2011

Black Lips - Arabia Mountain

Garage punk rockers Black Lips have always had an endearingly ramshackle sound, so it was a bit worrying to hear that Mark Ronson, who has produced Amy Winehouse, Robbie Williams and Kaiser Chiefs among others, would be at the helm for their 6th album. Fortunately, Ronson recognised the band's strengths and hasn't polished their rough edges too much. The songs still sound like they might fall down at any moment and were tossed off in one take in the basement of some dingy flat, and this is part of their charm. The other part is that they are catchy, excellently written rock songs performed with gusto by a bunch of guys who clearly enjoy what they are doing. Black Lips have been around for 10 years now and show no signs of growing up; on the basis of this album, let's hope they never do.

Top tracks: Modern Art, Go Out and Get It, New Direction
Rating: 8/10 
Release Date: 7 June 2011

Royce da 5'9" - Success Is Certain

Royce da 5'9" is a Detroit rapper who has been around for a long time but has gotten very little recognition outside of hip hop circles. It's a pity because he is one of the most talented MC's around, as he recently proved on his collaboration album with Eminem, the pair calling themselves Bad Meets Evil. On that album Royce matched Eminem lyric-wise, no easy task. He continues to prove his ability on Success Is Certain, which is a no-frills hip hop album for fans of excellent lyricism rather than just beats you can dance to and pop choruses, which is what much of hip hop is these days. The production is solid but not flashy, and emphasis is placed squarely on Royce and his words. This works well for him as his delivery is spot-on and he is a clever, thoughtful rapper. Although unlikely to set the charts alight, Success Is Certain is a real hip hop album from one of the most underrated rappers working today.

Top Tracks: Merry Go Round, I Ain't Coming Down, Second Place
Rating: 7/10
Release Date: 9 August 2011

Jay-Z and Kanye West - Watch the Throne

When the two biggest rappers on the planet get together for a collaboration album, there is bound to be a whole lot of hype around the release, and so it is the case for Watch the Throne. Since people first heard that Jay-Z and Kanye West were making a whole album together, there has been a huge buzz around this release. So expectations are high. Luckily, Watch the Throne does not disappoint. The production by West is on point throughout, and both him and Jay-Z are on top lyrical form, swapping clever, funny rhymes that veer between braggadocio and introspection, and Jay-Z sounds more energised than he has been since The Blueprint. Watch the Throne achieves something difficult in combining the talents of two massive stars and coming up with something that stands up to the best of either of their solo work. Hopefully there will be a sequel.

Top Tracks: Niggas In Paris, Otis, New Day
Rating: 9/10
Release Date: 8 August 2011

Fountains of Wayne - Sky Full of Holes

Fountains of Wayne had a brief brush with stardom a few years ago with the hit "Stacey's Mom" and the accompanying video featuring Rachel Hunter, but they have been releasing reliably excellent power-pop since the mid-nineties. Sky Full of Holes sticks to their formula of insanely catchy bubblegum melodies combined with wry, clever lyrics which document the seemingly insignificant details of everyday life. Where their previous albums have dealt with growing up, having to get a job and single life, Sky Full of Holes finds the band grown up, dealing with the realities of adult life. Children, family holidays and even depression are some of the topics covered, all wrapped up in the bands trademark tunefulness. Fountains of Wayne are a benchmark for consistency, and in Sky Full of Holes they have delivered another fantastic album.

Top Tracks: Acela, A Road Song, Richie and Ruben 
Rating: 8/10 
Release Date: 2 August 2011

Wu-Tang Clan - Legendary Weapons

It's nearly 20 years since Wu-Tang clan revolutionised hip hop with the eerie beats, kung-fu film samples and street raps of their debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Since then there have been countless albums of varying quality by the group and it's various individual members and affiliated artists. Quality control has been an issue for the Staten Island collective, with the emphasis seemingly having been on quantity rather than quality. So it's a surprise to find that Legandary Weapons is consistently good. RZA is on good production form, with the tracks more accessible than on previous albums, and star rapper Ghostface Killah spits his rhymes with typical feverishness and imagination. The other MC's play their part too, with Raekwon and Method Man also shining in what is Wu-Tang Clans most enjoyable album since Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).

Top Tracks: Laced Cheeba, 225 Rounds, Never Feel This Pain
Rating: 7/10
Release Date: 26 July 2011

Kelly Rowland - Here I Am

Despite being an excellent and very successful singer in her own right, Kelly Rowland seems to spend her life in the shadow of her former Destiny's Child bandmate Beyoncé, who has become a megastar since their former band split up. Here I Am could change that. Having had a huge hit with David Guetta on the dance track "When Love Takes Over" a couple of years back, on Here I Am Rowland continues in this direction, with Guetta back on the single "Commander", and several other tracks are in a similar dance-pop vein. There is also space here for some hip-hop and R&B, with Rowland in fine voice throughout and exuding both sexiness and playfulness. After the mild disappointment of Beyoncé's domesticated 4, Kelly Rowland is keeping the flag of the Destiny's Child girls flying high.

Top Tracks: Motivation, Feeling Me Right Now, Commander
Rating: 8/10
Release Date: 26 July 2011

Locnville - Running to Midnight

Locnville have very quickly become one of the hottest properties on the local music scene, with their first album, Sun In My Pocket, containing several hits and the title track from that album being featured on the massively popular FIFA 11 video game. They prove they are no one-hit-wonders with Running to Midnight, which once again showcases their catchy, laid-back raps set against dancefloor-friendly electro beats. Production-wise, the Chaplin twins show themselves to be up with the best anywhere and the album is packed with plenty of potential club hits. Their rapping is also top-notch; catchy as bird flu and delivered with the kind of couldn't care less attitude that fits perfectly with the music, as well as their Cape Town stomping ground. With an international deal freshly inked with Sony, Locnville are a band on the move, and they show no signs of slowing down on Running to Midnight. They have youth, looks and talent to burn, and if they carry on creating music this good they could well find themselves becoming South Africa's first bona fide international pop superstars.

Rating: 9/10
Top Tracks: Kingdom Come, Stars Above You, Little Too Far, 5 Seconds Till The End 
Release Date: 1 July 2011

Theophilus London - Timez Are Weird These Days

Timez Are Weird These Days is the major label debut for Broklyn much hyped rapper Theophilus London, and it showcases an exciting new talent on the hip hop scene. London makes use of sounds spanning the last few decades, particularly the 80's, but he puts it all together in a way that comes across as fresh rather than pastiche. He is not the most gifted rapper ever to walk the earth but he makes the best of what he's got. He also  ventures into singing on several tracks, and when he does his love of 80's synth music as well as The Smiths and TV on the Radio becomes more apparent. This album is a foot-tapping, ass-wiggling blast from start to finish and will surely be one of the best rap albums of the year come December.

Rating: 8/10
Top Tracks: Last Name London, Love is Real, Stop It, Girls Girls $
Release Date: 19 July 2011 

Wiley - 100 Percent Publishing

Wiley is the godfather of the UK grime scene and has kept himself at the cutting edge of it for the past 15 years, impressive when you consider how fast the genre moves. The producer and MC continues on his winning run with 100 Percent Publishing, showcasing why he has consistently stayed ahead of the game. His production is inventive and forward thinking while keeping the rawness and huge bass sounds that grime is know for intact, and his stream-of-consciousness, machine gun fire rapping is truly impressive. This is an album that doesn't sit still or stick to one sound but still fits together cohesively as a whole, and is a winner from the first track to the last. Once again, Wiley has kept himself ahead of the chasing pack.

Rating: 8/10
Top Tracks: Numbers In Action, Boom Boom Da Na, Pink Lady, One Hit Wonder
Release Date: 19 July 2011

DJ Khaled - We The Best Forever

DJ Khaled clearly has an enviable roster of phone numbers on speed dial; whilst the Miami DJ doesn't venture behind the microphone much himself, the list of guest appearances on the album reads reads like a who's who of hip hop. Busta Rhymes, Drake, Lil Wayne, Ludacris, Cee Lo Green, Akon, Jeezy, Rick Ross, The Game, Chris Brown, Mary J Blige and T-Pain all show up on We The Best Forever. Surprisingly given the cast of superstars involved, the rapping is often what lets this album down - hearing the succession of hugely talented MC's phoning in verses that focus solely on how rich they are, how many cars they have, how big their chains are and how many girls they have sex with quickly becomes incredibly boring and monotonous, not least because you know these rappers are capable of so much better. It's a pity because the production is top-notch and on the rare occasions when the guests decide to make an effort you hear what might have been. With the  amount of talent on this album it is destined to be huge, but it still feels like a missed opportunity.

Rating: 6/10
Top Tracks: I'm On One, Sleep When I'm Gone, My Life, A Million Lights
Release Date: 19 July 2011

Big Sean - Finally Famous

Finally Famous is the debut album from Detroit rapper Big Sean, and follows a trio of successful mixtapes of the same name. The album is executive produced by Kanye West and No I.D. and features guest spots from Kanye, Chris Brown, Lupe Fiasco, The-Dream, John Legend, Pharrell Williams and Wiz Khalifa, but the presence of all these heavyweights, Big Sean's talent shines through. His his flow is a laid-back sing-song reminiscent of Drake or Wiz Khalifa, and his rhymes are inventive and witty. Coupled with excellent production, mostly from heavyweight No I.D., the result is an album that is accessible and engaging. A winning start for Big Sean.

Rating: 8/10
Top Tracks: Don't Tell Me You Love Me, Wait for Me, What Goes Around, 100 Keys
Release Date: 28 June 2011

Limp Bizkit - Gold Cobra

A decade on from Limp Bizkit's heyday, when for some inexplicable reason they became huge with their neanderthal nu-metal, and they are back with a comeback album - their big attempt to regain past glories. And from the sound of the album, it may as well still be 1999. Their sound has not changed one iota and Fred Durst remains one of the worst, most irritating rappers in living memory, a man whose nasal whining and dumb lyrics make you more inclined to punch him than listen to his music. The music is still riff-metal by numbers with some hip hop beats thrown in, a sound so played out it's almost comical to listen to. So, the music's rubbish, the lyrics are rubbish and the person spitting those rhymes has one of the most grating voices in history. A typical Limp Bizkit album then.

Rating: 4/10
Top Tracks: Shotgun
Release Date: 28 June 2011

The Cool Kids - When Fish Ride Bicycles

Three years on from their hipster classic The Bake Sale EP, one-time blogosphere hero's The Cool Kids are back with their debut full length album, When Fish Ride Bicycles, and a lot rests on it. Because of the length of time between releases, the hype surrounding The Cool Kids has lost momentum and they need to regain lost ground. What is clear from the start is that the duo has progressed. Chuck Inglish's beats have developed from the minimalist early 90's vibe of previous releases to a denser sound more reminiscent of the Neptunes or Kanye West, whilst rapper Mikey Rocks has evolved into one of cleverest lyricists around. He still rhymes about cars and sneakers and how cool he is but it's how he says it that is so impressive. Together it makes for a fantastic album, one which reasserts The Cool Kids status as the hippest kids on the block.

Rating: 8/10
Top Tracks: Rush Hour Traffic, Summer Jam, Roll Call, Penny Hardaway
Release Date: 12 July 2011

Pitbull - Planet Pit

If Black Eyed Peas are the reigning kings (and queen) of party rap then Pitbull is the crown prince, delivering a string of club hits choc full of massive beats and killer hooks. Planet Pit is exactly what Pitbull fans would want it to be - a rap album made for clubs and good times. It's not subtle and as a rapper Pitbull is not in the league of a Lil Wayne or Eminem, but to be too critical of the album for this would be to miss the point completely. And the point is partying. Each of the 12 tracks is guaranteed to get a dancefloor heaving, marrying thumping beats with hooks that lodge themselves in your brain and a list of guest appearances including Ne-Yo, T-Pain, Enrique Iglesias, Chris Brown, Sean Paul, Kelly Rowland and Jamie Foxx. A surefire party starter.

Rating: 8/10
Top Tracks: Give Me Everything, Where Do We Go, Something for the DJs
Release Date: 21 June 2011

Shabazz Palaces - Black Up

Ishmael Butler first found fame almost two decades ago as Butterfly, the main man of seminal rap crew Digable Planets. Now, after a silence lasting 15 years, he's back with his new outfit, Shabazz Palaces. Those expecting something similar to the Digable Planets smooth jazz-rap will be in for a shock; the sounds of the two groups have nothing in common. What Butler has done on Black Up is create something totally new and fresh. The production is murky, jittery and foreboding, and the juxtaposition of this with Butler's smooth voice and intelligent raps floating over it is hugely effective. Make no mistake, this album is not an easy listen - there are no choruses, the beats don't follow patterns and sometimes seem completely random - but it is a hugely rewarding one. In a hip hop environment where most artists seem to be doing the same thing, it's refreshing to hear a group being truly creative and doing something different to everything else that is out there.

Rating: 8/10
Top Tracks: Are You Can You Were You (Felt), Recollections of the Wrath
Release Date: 28 June 2011

Beyoncé - 4

Along with Lady Gaga, Beyoncé is probably the biggest female pop star on earth, so it's natural that her new album arrives with a lot of expectation. Fortunately for the diva, 4 delivers on those expectations. The album covers all the bases to satisfy Beyoncé fans, with dancefloor-friendly club tunes, big ballads and even a couple of songs that sound like they came from a West End musical. The songs give Beyoncé's voice the opportunity to shine, and she doesn't disappoint on that count either. She has never sounded better and when she's on this type of form there is no-one else in pop who can match her. Beyoncé is a bona fide pop megastar and this is an album that will entrench her in that position for a while to come.

Rating: 8/10
Top Tracks: 1+1, Countdown, End of Time, Run the World (Girls)
Release Date: 28 June 2011

Bad Meets Evil - Hell: The Sequel EP

Eminem and Royce Da 5'9" are Bad Meets Evil, a hip hop collaboration first started in the late 90's but one that took a break in the noughties when Em and Royce fell out with each other. They are now friends again and back with Hell: The Sequel EP, which at 11 tracks is longer than a lot of full albums. From the outset we hear what we have been missing as the pair trade skillful, dextrous battle rhymes over excellent production. Royce matches Em rhyme for rhyme and shows that he is one of the most unfairly overlooked rappers on the scene today with wordplay that must be the envy of many more famous MC's than him. Eminem is, as usual, brilliant - funny, vitriolic and with just the right amount of crazy - and the chemistry the two have together is obvious from first track to last. Absolutely fantastic.

Rating: 9/10
Top Tracks: Fast Lane, Lighters, Loud Noises, Living Proof
Release Date: 14 June 2011

Snoop Dogg - Doggumentary

Snoop Dogg has been around for so long and appeared in so many reality shows that he's become a brand rather than a person. The rapper "Snoop Dogg" is a caricature of Calvin Broadus (his real name) the person and it's difficult to remember him as the genuinely menacing rapper that first appeared on Dr. Dre's The Chronic or his début album Doggystyle. His track record since those days has been patchy at best, and that continues on Doggumentary. There are good moments here and there, mostly when he goes back to the G-funk style that made him famous, but there is way too much filler. The 21 tracks that make up the album could easily have been cut to 13 and made an excellent album, but as it is there is too much rubbish to wade through to get to the good stuff.

Rating: 6/10
Top Tracks: We Rest n Cali, Sumthing Like This Night
Release Date: 29 March 2011

Tumi Lane - Joburg City

Following on from Tumi Lane's successful, SAMA-nominated 2009 debut album No Guarantee, Joburg City is a celebration of the singer's home town, and the diversity of the music reflects the melting pot of cultures that is Joburg. The album was produced by Jazzworx and includes guest spots from the likes of Maggz, Lotto, Zubz and Amara Brown. R&B singer and record producer RJ Benjamin was also involved in the production of the album and is credited as its engineer. The album itself explores many different genres of urban music, from hip hop to R&B to pop to house, and it does so very well. There is something on this album for all tastes, so whether you prefer listening to club bangers or tender ballads, you will find what you are looking for here.

Rating: 7/10
Top Tracks: Where We Going, No More, Lucky Guy
Release Date: 15 June 2011

Various - Muthaland Volume 1

South African urban label Ghetto Ruff has pooled it's top talents together on Muthaland Volume 1 and created an album that is diverse as well as being high quality. You'll find some great local artists on this disk, like Jozi, Jean Claude, Ruff X, FMB, Cook and Uzi, amongst others. The styles on show here range from electro to Afro pop to house and hip hop, and it all shows how far South African music has come and proves we can compete with the best in these genres. For a taste of what music is going down in the clubs of Jozi, you could do a lot worse than Muthaland Volume 1.

Rating: 7/10
Top Tracks: Jozi - Electric Avenue, Jozi - Everybody, Jean Claude - Number 1 Girl
Release Date: 10 March 2011

Chris Brown - F.A.M.E.

Chris Brown continues his comeback from the problems that have beset him over the last couple of years with F.A.M.E. That someone convicted of assaulting his then-girlfriend should feel it appropriate to deal with the "haters" resulting from this incident with an album whose title stands for "Forgiving All My Enemies" is surprising to say the least, but the album itself holds few surprises. The outstanding Look At Me Now apart, the album is a standard R&B album mix of club bangers, mid-tempo tracks and cheesy ballads. F.A.M.E. seems to have been created by focus groups rather than musicians, designed to appeal to the widest cross-section of the public rather than to reflect the feelings and inspiration of the singer. Disappointing.

Rating: 6/10
Top Tracks: Look At Me Now, Yeah 3x, Beautiful People
Release Date: 22 March 2011

Cults - Cults

Brooklyn boy-girl duo Cults are the latest buzz band to come out of New York, and expectations are high following the blogosphere success of their debut single Go Outside last year. Cults doesn't disappoint. The pair place singer Madeline Follin's sweet 60's girl group vocals over instrumentalist Brian Oblivion's backdrops of woozy, reverb drenched indie-pop and it works a treat. It creates a hazy, summery vibe with the vocals floating over the mix, and the juxtaposition of the sugary vocals with dark lyrics adds to the interest. There is room for improvement; at times the music can sound a bit samey, and some extra variety would have helped, but overall this is a fine album, and a great first platform for a band that on this evidence will be around for the long haul.

Rating: 8/10
Top Tracks: Abducted, Go Outside, Oh My God
Release Date: 7 June 2011 

The Vaccines - What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?

The Vaccines are the latest British band being heralded by the U.K. press; salivated over as the saviours of rock music, trumped as the new Strokes, the new Libertines or the new Arctic Monkeys depending on which rag you are reading. Whilst all the hype should rightly be taken with a large pinch of salt, what is obvious listening to this album is that The Vaccines are a brilliant guitar-pop band with tunes to burn. It kicks off with a bang with the 82 second stomp of Wrecking Bar (Ra Ra Ra) and doesn't let up until the end of the last track. The hooks come thick and fast, the choruses are huge singalongs, and the band are clever enough not to let the songs overstay their welcome (most are well under 3 minutes long). The Vaccines may not be the saviours of anything, but "What Did You Expect..." is a blast of an album.

Rating: 8/10
Top Tracks: Wrecking Bar (Ra Ra Ra), If You Wanna, Wetsuit, Family Friend
Release Date: 31 May 2011