Rated R (by Rihanna, Adult Contemporary)

R&B artist Rihanna is back with a new full-length album called RATED R -- her first release following her violent assault by Chris Brown, her old boyfriend and an R&B singer as well. From its intensely serious lyrics to its ominous music, the record is a very personal reflection of the dark times Rihanna has endured. Songs like the album's first single, "Russian Roulette," describe a girl contemplating suicide, while tracks such as "Stupid in Love" chronicle Rihanna's brief (and unsuccessful) attempt to reconcile with Brown: "Don't understand it, blood on your hands / And still you insist on repeatedly trying to tell me lies / And I just don't know why."

After experiencing such a terrible act of violence by someone she loved, it's hard to imagine Rihanna releasing a record that was anything other than somber. That said, the consistent bleakness that dominates the record is overwhelming at times. The deep, pulsing beats in tracks like "Wait Your Turn" tend to drag songs down rather than give them more intrigue, and even the more up-tempo songs such as "Photographs" are bogged down by their depressing subject matter.