Not such a screaming success

One of the highlights is her rendition of Run Run Rudolph, boasting groovy, Motown-like beats alongside Clarkson's strong vocals. She cheekily sings out: "All I want for Christmas is a rock 'n' roll electric guitar", as the instrument riffs gloriously in the background.

Slow tracks are Clarkson's speciality, and she's not forgotten them here. Please Come Home for Christmas (Bells Will Be Ringing) morphs from its jazzy opening into a strong pop anthem. Other winning songs include Winter Dreams, a cover of Elvis Presley's Blue Christmas and the title track, on which Clarkson has a writing credit.

If you like duets, her version of Baby, It's Cold Outside with folk singer Ronnie Dunn is a nice addition.

But Clarkson seems to have forgotten why she always stood out: she never screamed her way through every song, but sadly, she does here. Perhaps she got a little too excited about Christmas.

- Miley Cyrus is certainly doing her best to leave her alter ego, Hannah Montana, far behind her; her latest album, Bangerz, certainly reflects that sentiment

- The second album in her slowly rising career, In Your Hands is British singer-songwriter Eliza Doolittle's attempt to show off her vocals

- Katy Perry delivers on her fourth studio album, Prism, which is what we'd expect given her track record (have you seen the number of hits under her belt?)