It's December. No one's releasing albums, but everyone's talking about what they've got in the pipeline for 2010. It may be just unofficial talk at the moment, but so far it looks like there's some exciting things on the way in the new year...
 

Since multi-instrumentalist Richard Parry's recent interview with The Quietus, in which he revealed that Arcade Fire were in New York working on some new songs, more details have come to light regarding the Canadian indie giants next album. Marcus Mumford of Mumford and Sons told the BBC that the band were working with producer Markus Dravs, who also produced 'Neon Bible'. It is now rumoured that the album is set for a May release, with a single preceding it in early 2010, and a North American tour in Spring.

Fleet Foxes have confirmed that the follow up to their acclaimed self-titled debut will definitely be released in 2010. The band are currently working on new material in their hometown of Seattle. Frontman Robin Pecknold told Pitchfork.com "There are definitely super-upbeat songs that are being worked on for the new record. But as a whole, it's probably a little bit less upbeat". Boo!

Damon Albarn has revealed that the third album from Gorillaz will be called 'Plastic Beach'. According to Damo, the album was inspired by the X-Factor phenomenon." "I've tried to connect pop sensibility with trying to make people understand the essential melancholy of buying a ready made meal in loads of plastic packaging. People who watch X Factor might have some emotional connection to these things, that detritus that accompanies what seems the most essential thing in people's lives these days, the celebrity, the voyeurism," he said in an interview with The Guardian. 'Plastic Beach' will also feature the talents of the Syrian National Orchestra.

Goldfrapp's fifth studio album will be called 'Head First' and is due for release on March 19th. The band's label, Mute Records, describe the new record as "a speedy rush of synth optimism, euphoria, fantasy and romance with life-affirming lyrics and stellar production". The album was recorded in Bath and London over the last year, and its lead single 'Rocket' will be released on March 5th.

She & Him, the retro collaboration between M. Ward and 500 Days of Summer actress Zooey Deschanel, will release their second album in 2010. The pair have completed the as yet untitled record and are set to release it in the Spring, and follow it with a tour.

Babyshambles have started working on an album for release in 2010. Pete Doherty has said that guitarist Mik Whitnall has been working on new demos, while old songs including 'Stone Me What A Life', 'Cuckoo 1440', '352 Days', 'Tinker's Daughter', 'Fixing Up To Go', 'Bonjour Trieste' and 'After He' may make it onto the album.

The next album from Black Rebel Motocycle Club will be called 'Beat The Devil's Tattoo'. The follow up to 2007's 'Baby 81' is the band's first album with new drummer Leah Shapiro, and was primarily written and recorded in at The Basement Studio in Philadelphia, " the same room where they wrote and recorded Howl as well as some work in their hometown Los Angeles."

English soul singer Corinne Bailey Rae is to release her new album 'The Sea' on January 29th. Corinne has admitted that certain songs on the album were inspired by the tragic death of her husband Jason Rae from an accidental overdose in 2008. A new single 'I'd Do It All Again' will be released on the same day.

Meanwhile, Fred Durst has revealed the title of Limp Bizkit's "comeback album" will be 'Gold Cobra', Kylie is set to release a live album recorded in New York's Hammerstein Ballroom on December 11th, and Athlete will release a 'best of' compilation entitled 'Wires' on January 15th