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