Five favourites back for 2009

ANDREW BIRD
One to get in a flap about is the impending arrival of folky jazzy indie artist Andrew Bird's fifth studio LP Noble Beast, which is pencilled in for a January release.

MASTODON
Heavy metal heroes Mastodon follow up their mammoth Blood Mountain album in 2009 with their third outing, Crack The Skye.

PATRICK WOLF
Folk experimentalist Patrick Wolf returns with a double album, Battle, in 2009.

POSTAL SERVICE

Rumour has it that electronic indie pop pioneers The Postal Service will finally deliver a follow-up to 2003's Give Up this year...

PRODIGY

Dance behemoths The Prodigy will release a new album, Invaders Must Die, this year, with a March release date pencilled in.