Click the snazzy cover art above for a detailed track view

Amateur Hour stemmed from a conversation I had with a friend in which he sarcastically asked me, “What is this…? Amateur Hour?” I replied, “Yes, it is.” It’s become a running joke between us, and anytime we do something that we’ve never done before, we say, “What is this…?” As for the choice of music, I grew up listening to hip-hop, and I’m a sucker for heavy beats that make your head bop. This set is sure to do that, so turn up the volume and get to it!

- Dylan Jones from Subtext
subtextstore.com/blog

1. Night of the Living Basheads // Public Enemy
2. Beats to the Rhyme // Run DMC
3. The Militia // GangStarr
4. Ducky Boy // Jurassic 5
5. Squat! (feat. Mike D & Ad Rock) // De La Soul
6. If It Ain’t Rough // N.W.A.
7. Ugly People Be Quiet // DJ Cash Money & Marvelous
8. Sound of Da Police // KRS-One
9. Se Acabo (feat. Method Man) // The Beatnuts
10. Shimmy Shimmy Ya // Ol’ Dirty Bastard
11. Root Down (free zone mix) // Beastie Boys
12. Coolin’ // 2 Live Crew
13. A Day at the Races (feat. Big Daddy Kane & Percy P.) // Jurassic 5
14. Say Yeah Boy // Rodney O. & Joe Cooley
15. Don’t Stop the Rock // Freestyle
16. Children’s Story // Slick Rick
17. Red Hot // Jurassic 5
18. He Comes (feat. Ghostface) // De La Soul
19. Paid In Full // Eric B. & Rakim
20. Ghetto Superstar // Pras Michel (feat. ODB & Mya)

Sanctuary143 is honored to present the musical musings of the inconspicuous DJ Meow Mixx with Savory Gravy, the latest mix in our Minstrel Fridays podcast. Hit play and enjoy this eclectic mix during your respective winter solstice celebrations.

1. ’49 – The Silent Comedy
2. Turn On, Burn On – Grand Ole Party
3. People Get Mad – Amy LaVere
4. Brothers In A Bind – Mr. Tube and the Flying Objects
5. Through the Roof ‘n’ Underground – Gogol Bordello
6. It’s Been Raining – Kimya Dawson
7. Top Yourself – The Raconteurs
8. All Night Diner – Modest Mouse
9. John Saw That Number – Neko Case
10. And Darling – Tegan & Sara
11. Got To Let Go – A Band of Bees
12. The Moon and the Bread – Transfer
13. Frantic Romantic – Rayleigh Scattering
14. Pigeon – Stone Gossard
15. The Mess We’re In – PJ Harvey Feat. Thom Yorke

It’s a tradition that started about five years ago – friends compiling mixes of songs from our favorite albums of the year and trading them with each other. It has become so personal, mailing musical interpretations of the last 365 days across the country for others to hear, to give insight as to how life has unfolded. Songs often say what you wish you could, in more perfect ways than any Hallmark card. Welcome to my 2008. I’ve got my eyes set on the new year.

- Lauren Daniels
seattlegraffiti.blogspot.com

1. New Country – The Walkmen
2. Give a Little Love – Noah and The Whale
3. Blue and Gold Print – Mates Of State
4. Last Day of Magic – The Kills
5. I’m A Lady – Santogold
6. Lately – The Helio Sequence
7. Hiphopopotamus & Rhymenoceros – Flight of the Conchords
8. Young Sensualists – Throw Me The Statue
9. Kids – MGMT
10. Dance, Dance, Dance – Lykke Li
11. Blue Ridge Mountains – Fleet Foxes
12. Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? – She & Him
13. Inní mér syngur vitleysingur – Sigur Ros
14. Lover’s Day – TV on the Radio
15. Old Old Fashioned – Frightened Rabbit
16. It’s Okay – Land Of Talk

The mix CD is an indie rock dating ritual. If done right, you might even get laid. But you have to respect the craft, sort of like Daniel respects Karate in the Karate Kid Part II. There’s a ridiculous amount of thought that goes into it so you don’t want to screw it up. For me, this is a passion project that took up an entire day I was supposed to be working for the man. So thanks to Sanctuary143 for the distraction and I hope it scores you some action.

-Dave Brown

Holiday Matinee
www.holidaymatinee.com

1. Writer’s Block – Just Jack
2. Can’t Hold On – M.E.D.
3. Lilac Wine (Nina Simone) – THE ALBUM LEAF
4. Lose Yr Frown – The Electric Soft Parade
5. Quiet Town – Josh Rouse
6. Lady Lady – Cynty And The Monkeys
7. Chemicals – The Notwist
8. Consolation Prizes – Phoenix
9. Falling Down – Scarlett Johansson
10. Our House – Phantom Planet
11. Something to Do with My Hands – Her Space Holiday
12. Alienation – Lali Puna
13. Talk About A Girl – Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf
14. New Hampshire – Matt Pond PA
15. My Week Beats Your Year – Telefon Tel Aviv
16. West Coast – Coconut Records

The latest installment of the Sanctuary143 podcast, and first edition of our Minstrel Fridays series, comes courtesy of San Diego musician Joel P. West. Check the review of Joel’s new album, Dust Jacket. ENJOY!

i started making this list by trying to collect all the songs that have influenced me the most but immediately realized that it was going to have to be a super-deluxe box set and gave up. i noticed that all the songs that move me the most have a wintry feel to them and started thinking about why i am drawn to quiet and delicate music with bells and strings and choirs. i find it fascinating that these songs do not fit my current setting at all; the measly hints of winter that we get in san diego are few and far between and the seasons have to be forced with decorations and special menus. i get overwhelmed with emotions whenever i get a weekend somewhere crisp and cold and always do a lot of pondering and reflecting. i think we often use the novel to hold memories and emotions; we need sacred places to keep our deepest thoughts. i have come to venerate true winter moments as a san diegan and i think it is evident in both the art i appreciate and the art i make. here are some songs to accompany the leaf-less parts of the year.

the photograph is of crowley lake at night (up by mammoth) where a lot of these nostalgic memories are kept. i was walking around at night listening to icelandic music and thinking it looked a lot like iceland (i hadn’t been there yet).

Credit:
Joel P West
http://joelpwest.com (update coming soon)
http://otherrivers.com (soon launching with design & illustration)

1. The Fall – Peter and The Wolf
2. Hemipode – Amiina
3. Unravel – Björk
4. The Piano In The Bathtub – Department Of Eagles
5. Ashes of American Flags – Wilco
6. Only Skin – Joanna Newsom
7. The Partisan – Leonard Cohen
8. Finally We Are No One – Múm
9. I Think It’s Going to Rain Today – Randy Newman
10. Symphony No. 3: II. Lento e largo – Tranquillissimo – Gorecki

Orange County’s DJ Poppa free styled this Sunday morning mix with nothing planned other than the first track. It starts out mellow then moves into some heavier disco rock vibes — old and new — from the Motels and Stranglers to Free Blood and Todd Terje, etc. Complete with Yogi Hindi chants and sea shore sound effects, Poppa proclaims it “cheesy and sleazy”.

Our Seattle comrade Lauren Daniels (former staffer at The Mountain) has blessed us with a rad mixed-tape of all her favorite tracks at the moment for the second installment of the Sanctuary143 podcast. Turn up the volume while you check out her street-art blog, Seattle Graffiti.

1 Summer’s Life – The Shaky Hands
2 “Come On Petunia” – BLOW
3 Stars And Sons – Broken Social Scene
4 (This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan – Dntel Feat. Ben Gibbard
5 Nantes – Beirut
6 White Winter Hymnal – Fleet Foxes
7 When U Love Somebody – Fruit Bats
8 Tape Song – The Kills
9 Knife – Grizzly Bear
10 Between The Rent And Me – Snowden
11 All My Friends – Land Of Talk
12 No More Long Years – Matt & Kim
13 About To Walk – Throw Me The Statue
14 Nothing But Green Lights – Tom Vek
15 Happiness Is All The Rage – The Promise Ring
IN RELATED NEWS: The dessert theme continues… a complete coincidence, but methinks I hear the god Zeus chuckling from on high.

Straight from the Continental in LA, DJ Hogie gets Sanctuary143 started with a smooth and consistently somber summer mix that sounds like the soundtrack to a yet to be released Wes Anderson film. As Art Director to Elton John in the 70′s, DJ Hogie has long indulged an obsession with music. (Yes, you should take notes.)