CUR1350's 2009 Music Forecast

It’s time to herald another year of music as we begin 2009! The economic climate may be gloomy, but the music climate is thankfully looking much rosier, with a number of new artists poised to make their mark, and the return of some old faces.

Hot out of the block is the highly anticipated new Animal Collective album, Merriweather Post Pavilion, out on Jan 12. Having already received ecstatic high-profile reviews from the likes of Mojo and Uncut, this could be the album that finally breaks the experimental New York four-piece to a much larger audience.

2009 also sees the return of Blur in its original guise, as the band confirmed the return of guitarist Graham Coxon. Blur will be playing two Hyde Park live shows in July, with more shows promised and a return to the studio heavily rumoured. Another band to reunite in 2009 are 2Tone legends The Specials, who are playing a host of sold-out gigs across the country from April to early May. Meanwhile, a little band you may have heard of called U2 will be returning with their twelfth studio album, No Line On The Horizon. Speaking of colossal returns, Green Day also have a new album on the cards, their first after 2004’s American Idiot cemented their status as one of the world’s biggest bands.

But what of the newcomers? Hitting the headlines late last year, London-based White Lies have set themselves up for a great 2009, and with their sound recalling both the Killers and Editors, are bound to go down a storm. Also ones to look out for are anthemic New Zealanders Cut Off Your Hands, who have already made a splash in their homeland, and look set to do the same over here. Finally, following on from the success of Laura Marling and Noah & The Whale last year, CUR1350 recommends fellow London folksters Mumford & Sons as a potential surprise hit in 2009.

Animal Collective Homepage

Blur Hompage

The Specials Homepage

U2 Homepage

Greenday Homepage

White Lies Myspace

Cut Off Your Hands Myspace

Mumford & Sons Myspace

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Picture: Album cover of Blur: The Best Of, artist Julian Opie