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The 2008 YECA: Attack of the Ambition (Top 10 MVs + ??)
ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 2/21/2005
Posts: 21,684
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Looking forward to Lily Allen the most. Jonathan Davis and AFI are a possibility.
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Member Since: 5/28/2006
Posts: 8,159
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Shocking list. Obviously I can't wait for the next Muse album
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 5/9/2003
Posts: 3,779
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Can't wait for Muse. A loot of those albums you have on there are gonna be awesome.
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Member Since: 1/3/2007
Posts: 3,637
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wow! i didn't even know that Muse, Rammstein and QotSA would release new albums next year!
Awesome list Lily, AFI, FF, Bruce, Mastodon...
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 9/26/2001
Posts: 22,475
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Attack of the Ambition: Top 15 Albums(15-12 + Closest Five)
Alright, I lied, kind of. I decided that I'm at least going to START the albums list right now, even if I can't finish it right away, so...at least you guys have something to work with.
Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard - The Dark Knight Original Soundtrack
One of the best scores I've ever heard, in any film. It builds on the score for Batman Begins, and adds more darkness(and the sound of Joker!) to what was already an awesome score to make an even more complete package.
Coldplay - Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends
Sure to go down as one of the most beloved albums of the decade, I wouldn't make that statement, myself, but I definitely see why it's so popular. "Violet Hill", in particular, is a gorgeous song that deserves to be revisited by all of those who forgot about it in the wake of the "Viva la Vida" monster.
Filter - Anthems for the Damned
Originally a shoo-in for the top ten, Anthems for the Damned may be on the outside looking in, but it still holds a soft spot in my heart, mainly because of "The Take", which is still one of the most fierce songs of 2008.
Shiny Toy Guns - Season of Poison
Here is a case where the two singles are, easily, the most interesting songs on the album. That's not to say that the rest of the album is bad. Some songs, "Frozen Oceans", in particular, have their charms. But "Ricochet!" and "Ghost Town" are worth seeking out, even if you don't like the Shinys.
Beck - Modern Guilt
Would it surprise you to hear that "Orphans" is now among my favorite songs of 2008? After all of the shilling that I did for "Gamma Ray" and the title track, it turns out that, yes, I WAS shafting "Orphans". Good sleuthing, everyone.
Kings of Leon - Only by the Night
Over the five years that Kings of Leon have been putting out albums, their albums have gotten progressively better as they've continued to make music. In particular, Because of the Times was a realization of the potential that Kings of Leon have had all along. Thus, it does seem a bit depressing to have to say that Only by the Night, while still great, is a slight regression, if only because the second half of the album doesn't live up to the promise that was shown in the first half. Besides the hit "Sex on Fire", there's the haunting, gorgeous "Closer", the driving and forceful "Crawl", second single "Use Somebody", and the underrated "Revelry". It's a shame that the second half doesn't compare to the first half. If it did, it would have been a top five contender.
Favorites: "Closer", "Crawl", "Sex on Fire"
Portishead - Third
In their first studio album in 11 years, Portishead decides to take the trip hop sound that they helped to innovate...and shoot it in its mother****ing head. After burying the remains, they go about creating their own new, distinct sound, a sound that reminisces, if only briefly, on their past, before going full-on into a more industrial-like sound that still sounds distinctly like Portishead. There are some lesser tunes, as this is the first album of a new sound that Portishead is trying to perfect as they go along, but the songs that work WORK: "We Carry On" is a six minute poundfest, a rave-in-a-bottle tune that would feel right at home in any club around the world, while "Machine Gun" is proof that a very simple song can be a very awesome song. Though these two songs overshadow the other songs on the album, some of those "other" songs, like the album opener "Silence" and the beautiful "Hunter", are pretty noteworthy, as well, even if they're not as noteworthy.
Favorites: "We Carry On", "Machine Gun", "Silence"
Motorhead - Motorizer
As many of you know, I am a charter member of the Church of Lemmy, United States chapter. I bow down at the altar of Lemmy's mole, and I try(and spectacularly fail) to sing and look like Lemmy constantly, so when I heard that Motorhead was putting out a new album, obviously, I was as excited as humanly possible to hear it. Then, I heard the single, "Rock Out". Yes, it may sound like the Motorhead sound, but it is still a powerful force of nature, a pounding piece that is almost as fun as it is relentless. Honestly, this song, and the album that it inhabits, is the best material that Motorhead has put out since the days of old, when Lemmy was still a (relatively) young man. The album opener, "Runaround Man", is a fierce song that, it can be argued, is even more relentless than "Rock Out", and "English Rose" provides a slight departure from those songs and provides a huge amount of melody, especially in the chorus. Most importantly, at the age where most people generally settle down in retirement homes, Lemmy continues to sound as good as ever. The man just doesn't age, and neither does the Motorhead sound.
Favorites: "Rock Out", "Runaround Man", "English Rose"
My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
My Morning Jacket, congratulations! You've won the award for "Greatest Reinvention of 2008"! Whereas Z, the gorgeous precursor to this album, was more experimental and spacier than their previous sound, and started a new evolution for the band, Evil Urges picks up the pieces left in its previous album's wake and completely shatters any pre-conceived notions of the band. If you want proof of this, look no further than "Highly Suspicious", which would work perfectly on a 1980's Prince album. Or how about "Touch Me I'm Going To Scream", which sounds, dare I say, poppy? Or what about its sequel, "Part 2", which is a very simple, yet pounding tune that works very well as a dance song? Quite a few hardcore My Morning Jacket fans, and some critics, resented this change. I, for one, cherish it. The simple truth of the matter is that bands have to evolve to survive. Jim James and My Morning Jacket realized this, and their evolution has led them to new heights with Evil Urges.
Favorites: "Touch Me I'm Going To Scream", "I'm Amazed", "Highly Suspicious"
That's it for 15-12 and the closest five. I'll be back...er, sometime...with 11-8. SEE YOU THEN~!
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Banned
Member Since: 10/21/2001
Posts: 25,547
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Oh you know how much I like my Shinys, they were #6 on my Year-End last year for a reason with You Are The One
I never forget Violet Hill, that hit #2 on my chart this year but just couldn't dethrone Flyleaf.
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 6/9/2002
Posts: 6,789
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Great start to the albums list, especially MMJ, Beck, and Portishead.
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 11/6/2002
Posts: 10,641
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Coldplay, Filter, STG, Beck, Kings of Leon...hell all of them are great.
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 7/24/2004
Posts: 12,563
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Kings of Leon <3333 Wow, there are a bunch of albums I havn't heard like Portishead, Filter, and Motorhead. I shall check them out soon.
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ATRL Moderator
Member Since: 12/21/2002
Posts: 20,569
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I guess I should check out this Kings of Leon album.
Shiny Toy Guns and Filter are too low. :copcar:
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Member Since: 8/9/2004
Posts: 21,889
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lol at the The Dark Knight soundtracks. That's just obsession. But Viva Coldplay!
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 5/9/2003
Posts: 3,779
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Evil Urges is so great. It's all over the place.
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Member Since: 9/18/2005
Posts: 6,209
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wow.
first of all, i took the time to watch all the 10 videos. big yays for 10,9,4,2 and, by far the funniest, #8!!!!! and it doesn't matter how many times i watch it, i still don't get #3. silly me.
i didn't know muse was about to release an album, so you just made my day. i'm, of course, expecting the latest from lily and franz.
about the albums, you could've shown some more love for Third, don't you think? it was the comeback everyone expected to see.
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ATRL Moderator
Member Since: 2/19/2003
Posts: 34,484
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LMAO Touch Me I'm Going to Scream is so good. UGH THAT IS SEX ON FIRE.
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Member Since: 5/28/2006
Posts: 8,159
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Dark Knight OST, Kings of Leon, Coldplay, Beck... this will be interesting.
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Member Since: 4/6/2007
Posts: 25,604
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''Viva La Vida'' and ''Only By The Night''!
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 1/20/2004
Posts: 46,574
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Kings of Leon - Only by the Night ^_______^
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 9/26/2001
Posts: 22,475
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Attack of the Ambition: Top 15 Albums (11-8)
Quote:
Originally posted by XplicitNG
Kings of Leon <3333 Wow, there are a bunch of albums I havn't heard like Portishead, Filter, and Motorhead. I shall check them out soon.
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Trust me, Motorhead is not for everyone. On the other hand, you ABSOLUTELY should check out Third.
The Killers - Day & Age
How do I say this without looking like a moron? Um...I honestly think that Day & Age, with enough time and perspective, could become a classic album. Why do I say that this album could become that significant? Quite a few people who like The Killers will readily admit that they loved Hot Fuss and only merely liked Sam's Town. Not all, obviously, but quite a few. There are those who do like Sam's Town more, of course, but they are not as many. This album almost sounds like it is a mixture of both, with more emphasis put on the "Mr. Brightside"-era of the band than the "When You Were Young"-era. In the process, they have created an album that takes the best elements of both albums and molds them together to create an album that, while not entirely poignant and meaningful, is just plain fun, and you cannot underestimate how many people need that fun in their lives right now, especially in the days of the economies of the world falling deeper into recession. People could look back on this album with a fondness reserved only for those albums that truly provided a piece of happiness and fun, in a time when it was most needed. Is it a meaningful, amazing piece of work? No, it isn't. But, sometimes, the best music doesn't have to be.
Favorites: "Spaceman", "Losing Touch", "Joy Ride", "Neon Tiger"
Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple
The most underrated album of 2008? On ATRL, certainly. The sad thing about Gnarls Barkley is that, forever and ever, they will be recognized as "The Crazy Guys", and that stigma will follow them for as long as they make music. Of course, this posed Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse with a dilemma: "How do we shake the 'Crazy' image"? Well, one way to do so is to delve deeper into the darkness that St. Elsewhere only hinted at, and The Odd Couple is that deeper delve. If you're just a fan of "Crazy", then this album, chances are, is NOT for you. On the other hand, those who appreciate Gnarls Barkley as something more will get something more out of The Odd Couple, for this is the natural progression of the group. Whereas St. Elsewhere is a poppy, happy, borderline ecstatic piece of music, The Odd Couple is the exact opposite, a battle with the listener to deal with subjects that haunt even the happiest of people, namely, death and losing loved ones. "Who's Gonna Save My Soul?" deals with losing someone, either via break-up or death(though break-up is more likely), whereas, in songs like "Going On" and "No Time Soon", there's a distinct sense of losing someone that you love and adore, family or significant other. Those who want more of the same poppy, fun, happy material that you found on St. Elsewhere need not apply for this album. This is an album from a group that dares to be different.
Favorites: "Who's Gonna Save My Soul?", "Going On", "Open Book"
Slipknot - All Hope Is Gone
"OOOOOOOH YEAH!" That opening yell in "Psychosocial" pretty much sums up my feelings about Slipknot's latest album, All Hope Is Gone. I'll be the first to admit that I was very interested in seeing a progression of the sound that Slipknot began to experiment with on their Vol. 3. What I got instead was a harder, darker, rougher around the edges album that, beyond a few moments of clarity, beats your skull into nothing more than mush and materia. It still experiments, as evidenced by the only song that Slipknot has ever created that could ever be considered beautiful in "Snuff", but, first and foremost, Slipknot is still a metal band, and this is still a metal album. Nowhere is this more apparent than the two best songs on the album, "Gematria (The Killing Name)" and "This Cold Black". "Gematria" is one of the single most powerful and brutal songs in the Slipknot discography, that is built up with the amazing album opening instrumental ".execute.", and only continues the build from there. It also happens to feature some of my favorite vocals in any song this year, even if it is all screaming. Meanwhile, "This Cold Black" has one of the coolest-sounding opening instrumentals that I heard this year, almost sounding a bit like Mastodon, with a touch of Slipknot brutality. And let's not forget about "Psychosocial". Now there's a song that lives up to its name. If you need a metal album that WASN'T by Metallica, well, here you go.
Favorites: "Gematria (The Killing Name)", "Psychosocial", "This Cold Black"
Ashes Divide - Keep Telling Myself It's Alright
Oh, man. If you want to talk about underrated albums, how could we talk about them without mentioning Ashes Divide? Yeah, one half of the album is decidedly weaker than the other, but it's not as if that half is weak! Meanwhile, on the other side, how about a shot of "The Prey", with a hint of "The Stone", two very powerful and driven songs that sound as good as anything on the radio today? What about the soft, drum-dominated "A Wish"? Or how about "Enemies", which has one of the most awesome song endings of any song this year? And then, there's "Sword", a song that continiously builds to an ending that refuses to come, and, when it does, it's not exactly what you're expecting. You can hold Billy Howerdel down if you want to, radio, but, deep down, we know better. This is amazing music, being released by an amazing musician, and you can't tell us otherwise.
Favorites: "Sword", "The Prey", "The Stone"
Honestly, I may be able to get this done by the end of the weekend. I may even have it done by tonight. Wow. At any rate, 7-4 will be up...EVENTUALLY! TECH-NO-LOGICAL RO-MANCE!
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 7/24/2004
Posts: 12,563
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The Killers and Gnarls Barkley ^_^! "Day and Age" is a great album, I might actually support them by buying it.
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ATRL Moderator
Member Since: 12/21/2002
Posts: 20,569
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Slipknot never disappoint.
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