The Sweet Sixteen: My Favorite Tracks of 2007 (#11-16)

You didn't think I could go without some sort of year-end music countdown did you? I'll be doing a three-part countdown of my favorite tracks of 2007. Here's numbers 11-16, in descending order, of course:

16. Everybody Always Leaves – Matthew Ryan
He creates a mood of cold darkness with his lyrics and vocals, and somhow integrates it well with the electronic beats. And then those female vocals in the chorus provide a wonderful lift to the song, as well as a superb counterpoint to Ryan’s sandpapery voice.

15. Chase This Light – Jimmy Eat World
I’m just a sucker for the grandeur of a Jimmy Eat World anthemic track, what can I say, and this one fits the bill quite nicely.

14. Cold Cold Ground – Lea
There’s a Tracy Chapman-esque quality to Lea’s vocals, and the gentle, folky arrangement of “Cold Cold Ground” gives her voice room to shine.

13. Up and Down – The Chesterfield Kings
If you’re going to to do retro, this is how retro should be done - Raucous and rowdy garage rock complete with a niiice fuzzy guitar solo.

12. Bubbles – Dizzee Rascal
Those are some some mad, overdriven, syncopated beats – and what’s he saying? Something about Nike Airs? I’m not sure, but I bloody well like it!

11. Back To Black – Amy Winehouse
Yeah, I know, she likes to party and how she won’t go to rehab. But I love the darkness of this title track’s subject matter, as well as its smoky, neo-soul vocals and groove.