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The 2008 YECA: Attack of the Ambition (Top 10 MVs + ??)
ATRL Administrator
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With awesomeness like Beck, you can't go wrong.
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Member Since: 1/27/2007
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ATRL Senior Member
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ATRL Senior Member
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Attack of the Ambition: Top 80 Songs of 2008 (60-56)
 
I'll be the first to admit that I didn't like this song, at first. I was still bummed that Carah Faye Charnow was no longer the female vocalist of Shiny Toy Guns, and, sometimes, I still am. However, as time passed and I listened to this song more and more, I began to see the positives in a Sisely Treasure-ified Shiny Toy Guns. The vocals and general sound of the music itself actually sound even more intense than the days when Carah Faye and Gregori Chad Petree ruled the world, and that dread that you felt ever so slightly when you listened to We Are Pilots is much more amplified and apparent now. Most importantly, Sisely is not a step backward in the vocal department. Listen to the pre-chorus and tell me that it doesn't scream "Shinys" to you.
YouTube Link: "Ricochet!"
I'll come out and say it right now: **** "Inside the Fire". I don't really hate the song, but it prevented everyone from listening to this song first. It may take a while to grow on you, but, when it does, it sinks in and you find yourself singing the chorus out of nowhere. The music isn't exactly groundbreaking stuff, but it's, simply put, the catchiest song in the Disturbed catalog.
YouTube Link: "Indestructible"
When I talked about "I'm Amazed" back at #62, I mentioned that it was the song that kickstarted my love for MMJ, "Prince-sounding songs be damned." This is the "Prince-sounding song" that I was talking about. Give this song to 80's Prince, and it's probably the lead single off of another Uranium-selling album. There is no other song like it in whatever genre My Morning Jacket likes to say they make music in, regardless of which one it is, and, more importantly, it's just plain FUN, the kind of fun you don't see in music anymore.
YouTube Link: "Highly Suspicious" (oh, how I wish this was the real video)
"It seems like, your idea, 'I'm perfect', in mine, I'm perfectly in line, so let's be enemies!" Yes, yes, a million times yes. It may be tough for some of you to wrap your head around the lyrics of Ashes Divide, but, once you get around them, there's a beautiful darkness inside that should be discovered more often. Oh, and the song sounds pretty awesome, too, with an amazing ending that still gets my head banging, all these months later.
YouTube Link: "Enemies" (could only find a live version)
It's not The Cure at their best, but it sure as hell is The Cure at their most danceable. Sometimes, Robert Smith has to just let loose and let people know that, yes, he can have fun, and "Freakshow" is that kind of song. There's this really freaking cool guitar play in the background, too, which adds even more to the song's danceability, if that really is a word. It also features one of my favorite opening verses of the year, which is much cooler if you've heard the song and can sing along to its awesomeness:
"I can't believe it
I must be dreaming
She turns the sound down
Says 'I am heaving
This is a freakshow'
And I am screaming
She spins the world round
I want to STOP."
(No YouTube link. The live versions are almost all crap, and the video clip's audio isn't working.)
The next block features the only song that can possibly be as mainstream as a Britney song. It also features two songs by the same artist. This should be fun. 
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Banned
Member Since: 10/21/2001
Posts: 25,547
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Awesome list so far 
Ricochet made my list too! I think I put them higher than you did.
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Member Since: 4/6/2007
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 11/6/2002
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Not familiar with that MMJ song, but the rest get you an A+
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Member Since: 9/18/2005
Posts: 6,209
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the cure + shiny
i didn't like ricochet at first either, and it was even worse when i found out sisely had been in a PCD reality show. but it stayed on my playlist and i got to like it a lot
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 9/26/2001
Posts: 22,475
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Attack of the Ambition: Top 80 Songs (55-51)
COME WITH ME.
One of the more powerful songs, music wise, on their self-titled album, Flyleaf's "Breathe Today" is all about accentuating the positives of the Flyleaf sound, namely, Lacey Moseley's gorgeous (and visceral) vocals. Really, the whole band is an excuse to show off her vocals, just like it is with Hayley Williams and Paramore, and, in both cases, both vocalists shine brightly. This is not my favorite vocal performance of Lacey's (that would probably be "Sorrow"), and "Breathe Today", as great as it is, is not even my favorite Flyleaf song (that is "Cassie", which combines great vocals and a dark and moody musical sound with amazing lyrics. You'll know what the song is about when you look up the lyrics), but it sure as hell is up there for both.
YouTube Link: "Breathe Today"
A relatively simple song that becomes something more when Serj Tankian takes the reigns, "Sky Is Over" is all about the vocal performance. Whereas most of the other songs on Elect the Dead have musical arrangements that nearly overshadow Serj's vocals, "Sky Is Over" is the exact opposite: the music IS meant to be the background, and nothing more. Even when the song goes into the overdrive area (relatively light for Serj, of course), Serj's vocals are still the focal point. Thankfully, he's up to the task here, and this is, arguably, the best vocal performance on his great solo debut.
YouTube Link: "Sky Is Over"
This song is ****ing gorgeous. That's all that I need to say, and anyone who's listened to this song will agree that those are the only words that need to be said. Well, other than "Hayley Williams's voice is amazing," of course. P.S: I could stare at that pic of Hayley all day. Stunning.
YouTube Link: "I Caught Myself"
Compared to the other Serj song that made this list (and only two spots ago, no less!), "Lie Lie Lie" is a much grander song, much more reminiscent of album opener (and generally awesome tune) "Empty Walls", except that it takes the insanity meter up about 50 notches. There's a long stretch in the song where the ONLY word is "lie". I mean, come on, how is that NOT insane? Or what about the goofy background vocals? Or the piano opening? Yeah, exactly.
YouTube Link: "Lie Lie Lie"
In retrospect, I really should have put this on my 2007 singles list, because it would have made the top ten, more than likely. Now, it's almost an afterthought, though it makes sure to prevent itself from becoming one by being an awesome song. After the disappointment that was 808s and Heartbreak, I found myself revisiting Kanye's previous work, and "Flashing Lights" was a song that I came back to often. It helped me to once again realize this song's greatness, but not enough to slide it into the top 50, where it may actually belong.
YouTube Link: "Flashing Lights"
The Top 50 begins in the next block, featuring a song that you may not expect to see as high as it is.
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 7/24/2004
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Legendary Flashing Lights! As for Paramore, I prefer Decode over I Caught Myself and who could ever forget about Serj Tankian! I'm liking your picks so far!
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Banned
Member Since: 10/21/2001
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ATRL Senior Member
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"I Caught Myself" really is so damn beautiful.
This may be my favorite set yet, These 5 songs are so damn good.
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ATRL Moderator
Member Since: 12/21/2002
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Loving these past two sets -- maybe not "Lie Lie Lie", but everything else is horse apples, especially ASHES dIVIDE, Flyleaf, Shinys, and The Cure.
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Member Since: 1/19/2006
Posts: 4,466
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Kanye & Flyleaf 
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ATRL Administrator
Member Since: 5/2/2000
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I had no idea about that other Paramore track. I just got it. It's fantastic!
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Member Since: 10/13/2003
Posts: 48,022
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nice set Kayne West + Paramore <333
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 3/19/2008
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Ricochet
Indestructible
Freakshow
I Caught Myself
Flashing Lights
YES.
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 6/9/2002
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MMJ! Kanye! Cure! Others! Woo! Great! Set! Ryan!
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ATRL Administrator
Member Since: 8/27/2006
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Serj! I must have missed that whole transition where he decided to go solo, but the songs are damn good.
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Member Since: 8/2/2006
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