Clockwise: D. Russ, Knesset, Dominic Primé of Man in Decline Records, A Cloud Forest

Dominic Primé owns Man in Decline Records (and we've reviewed Seas Will Rise and Primé's band Come On Die Young in previous Sound Off columns), and has done time as a promoter, music journalist, and active member of the Salt Lake City hardcore scene before moving to Phoenix to pursue a PhD in Counseling Psychology.

We discussed indie rock from Knesset, hip-hop from D. Russ, and atmospheric black metal from A Cloud Forest.

Clockwise from top left: James Fella, Seas Will Rise, Jimmy Pines and Washboard Jere, Nathaniel Nichols' Cloud Cave art

This week's guest is James Fella, a Tempe musician, who in addition to creating shredding art pop with Mangled Men and compositions on his own, runs Gilgongo Records, which has issued records by Woods, Zs, Raccoo-oo-oon, and a slew of local artists. I met Fella at his place in Tempe, where we sat in his car and listened to a CD-R containing songs by Seas Will Rise, Nathaniel Nichols, and Jimmy Pines and Washboard Jere. That's right -- dude only has a record player in his place.

Clockwise from top left: Galapagos, Drew Sully and Adrienne Osuch of Ash Ave Comics, Faces, Drainbow

Sometimes you have to kill two birds with one stone. I desperately needed to make it in to Ash Avenue Comics to pick up the conclusion of Uncanny X-Force's "Dark Angel" saga and the latest installment of Grant Morrison's socialist take on Superman, and I needed to lock down a guest for this week's edition of Sound Off. Those who browse the racks at Ash Ave (located in the same quadrant as Otto's Pizza, Cartel Coffee, Wet Paint Art Supply, and a stones toss from Casey Moore's) know that owner Drew Sully is just as apt to riff on the latest underground hip-hop as he is to recommend Brian Azzarello's take on Wonder Woman or riff on gentrification (that is, very likely).

Sully was joined in our discussion of three local tracks from electronic artist Galapagos, rapper Faces, and heavy rockers Drainbow by Ash Ave employee Adrienne Osuch, who was natural sporting t-shirt with an unreadable black metal band logo.

Clockwise from top left: St. Ranger, The Pübes, Henri Bernard of Dry River Yacht Club, Tintype

This week's guest is Henri Benard, known mostly for his work with Dry River Yacht Club, but also for being a drummer around town, playing with group's like The Whisperlights and even Sedona's Decker.

Benard talks quick, and had plenty of say about tunes from St. Ranger, Tintype, and The Pübes.

Dry River Yacht Club is scheduled to cover The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at Crescent Ballroom.

This week's Sound Offer is Yaya Martinez, who hosts The Pulse, a show dedicated to underground hip-hop every Saturday 1-4 a.m. on Power 98.3. (Check out our video feature on Yaya.)

Martinez sat down to listen to three Phoenix tracks from metal band Sorrower, rapper Young Spider, and Future Loves Past.

Clockwise from top left: Miss DJ MJ, Mouse Powell, Ladylike, Sluggo

I believe her. She's been on the air for 10 years, working as music director at Power 98.3. She recently left the station, but not before becoming the first female on-air mixer in Arizona.

I ask DJ MJ for her album of the year, and she states Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Technically, that's a 2010 release, but we get it. DJ MJ likes pop music, but pop music that isn't afraid to explore sounds and themes.

With that in mind, we tuned into three local tracks by "Mighty" Mouse Powell, Ladylike, and Sluggo ft. HavocNdeeD.

Mitch Freedom of What Laura Says needs little introduction. His melodic, soul-inspired bass playing is the bedrock of the group, giving the pysch pop jams a urgent sense of boogie.

Dude's also a big time music listener, too, always riffing on what records he's currently spinning. Mitch stopped by the New Times offices to listen and discuss some local jams from rapper BobbyBrandNew, old school rockers Crash Street Kids, and the shoegazey Terra Firma, and his own band's songwriting process.

What Laura Says performs at Creamy Radio's Thanksgiving Eve Show at Sail Inn on Wednesday, November 23.

Clockwise from top left: DJ Dana, Courtney Marie Andrews, Sun Ghost, Source Victoria

Today's guest is DJ Dana, Phoenix's resident "Queen of Country," who handles the wheels of steel each Sunday night at Valley Fever, Tempe's country night at the Yucca Tap Room. DJ Dana graciously agreed (with only the promise of coffee when she arrived to entice her) to meet at the New Times building early Tuesday morning to listen to three new local tracks from Courtney Marie Andrews, Source Victoria, and Sun Ghost.

Valley Fever hosts The Whispering Pines (described by Dana as akin to early Eagles) and The James Parks Band this Sunday, November 13, at the Yucca Tap Room in Tempe.

Clockwise from top left: Moe'Z Art, Decker, Hemoptysis, Peachcake

Peachcake is no stranger to the Sound Off treatment. DJ Pickster One and I reviewed the band's track "Who Are These People and Why Do They Suck" back in September. Peachcake frontman Stefan Pruett e-mailed saying he'd love to sit down and listen to some music, so I tried to pick three tunes that sounded as unlike Peachcake as possible.

To his credit, Pruett was game, showing up sporting bright pink pants and a fistful of leftover Halloween candy. We listened to tunes from AZ rapper Moe'Z Art, metalheads Hemoptysis, and lo-fi folkie Decker.

Peachcake is scheduled to perform with Peter Murphy and She Wants Revenge on Thursday, November 3 at the Marquee Theatre.

Brad Dwyer and Jalipaz at Audioconfusion Studios

Jalipaz runs Audioconfusion Studios in Mesa. He has manned the boards on some of my favorite local releases (disclosure: I have recorded with Jalipaz on several occasions), including Knife Man, by Andrew Jackson Jihad, which was released earlier this year.

Jalipaz has a unique approach to music, so I sat down with him at his mixing board to listen to some hip-hop from Brown G.O.D., art-punk from Gay Kiss, and alternative rock from Brian Chartrand.