Get ready. A wave of potentially fantastic albums from some BIG name acts is heading our way for 2009. The names are big, the albums are big but expectations are even bigger. 

New York frat boys Vampire Weekend will be back with a so-far untitled new album this October, set to recall the summery sounds we came to love from their self-titled debut stunner. The word on the grapevine is that the follow-up will be more percussive and a lot darker. Vampire Weekend recently opened for Blur at Hyde Park, apparently teasing the audience with a couple of as-yet unreleased newbies.

And speaking of teases, Muse literally have the entire world buzzing with excitement as they reveal snippets of first single “United States Of Eurasia” off impending fifth album The Resistance bit by bit. There’s nothing like a treasure hunt and that’s exactly the current state of play for the new single. Four USB sticks have been hidden in four different countries, each containing a piece of the puzzle. Fans have been given clues via the official website as to the whereabouts of the USB’s and so far two have been uncovered in Paris and Berlin. Only two remain but where?

Arctic Monkeys’ smashing new single “Crying Lightening” has been doing the rounds across the airwaves lately, proving the boys have lost none of their rascally charm; rather their sound has matured, inspiring high expectations for Humbug, due for release on August 24^th. Spending time with co-producer and cohort Queens Of The Stone Age’s Josh Homme in the desert during recording and digging up the ghosts of Cream and Jimi Hendrix for inspiration has obviously given the Monkeys’ the push in the right direction that they perhaps needed. Time will tell.

Jay-Z’s The Blueprint 3 is the rapper and producer’s eleventh studio album and the latest in the Blueprint series, the first being released in 2001, with The Gift & The Curse hot on its tail in 2002. Full of brutal honesty and hardened sass, first single “Death of Auto-Tune” is a damn likeable (and delightfully no-name shame game) start to what could be the biggest rap album this year. The Blueprint 3 is expected to be released on September 11^th.

And the insatiable cry from Beastie Boys fans for “MORE!” will come good on September 15^th when Hot Sauce Committee hits shop fronts and slaps us in the face with its unique fusion of live beats, punk-funk and razor-sharp rhymes. First listen of the new album reveals the fun has been rekindled, giving hope to those who were slightly confused by 2004’s To The 5 Boroughs largely introspective tone.

It’s looking good people. If 2009’s endless list of big-name acts and impressive festival line ups somehow fail to deliver, then keep those ears firmly planted to the speaker because the best is yet to come…

- Carley Hall