Remember that awkward period after 103.9 changed its format to "All Suck All the Time" but before 93.3 decided it no longer wanted to be one of several classic rock options in the Valley? That was a dark time for alternative music in Phoenix, and it was really strange to have an online radio station sponsoring some of the biggest alternative and punk shows in the Valley for a while. Thankfully, 93.3 switched gears and decided to play more modern alternative music, and though it might not be the indie stations of many American college towns, it's certainly not bad, by any means.

DJ? KCDX don't need no stinkin' DJ. Mysteriously broadcasting from the desert, there's no verbiage or on-air announcing — just loads of progressive rock, AOR obscurities, classic rock hits, and deep cuts. You'll hear Graham Nash paired with Taj Mahal, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band followed by Pink Floyd, and other transitions that sensible program directors would shut down real quick. The signal doesn't come in all over the Valley, but it's worth seeking out. There are no on-air bells and whistles, but the station's site features a searchable song archive and an "Ask the Guru" button, which allows you to e-mail the station's shadowy overseer. Our e-mails, to be clear, have gone unanswered, but we figure it's kind of better that way.

What the AM dial lacks in fidelity, it makes up for in ambiance. There's no better example in Phoenix than Arizona Gold 1440 AM, which devotes its daytime air to long stretches of oldies from the '50s, '60s, and '70s (14 songs at a time, naturally). There's a slight crackle to the transmission, a vintage station jingle, and nothing but gems: Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels tearing through "Devil With a Blue Dress On/Good Golly Miss Molly" from 1966, Carly Simon's 1972 kiss-off "You're So Vain," the incendiary "Liar Liar" by the Castaways from 1965. They're not exactly deep cuts, but you're not likely to hear them on other Valley oldies stations, and more important, they sound fantastic with the added hum and boom of the AM transmission. Fourteen of 'em in a row — true dusty, poppy gold.

Earlier this year, news broke that Art Laboe, with his nationally syndicated "oldies but goodies" show, The Art Laboe Connection, no longer would be broadcast in Los Angeles. He's since found a new home there. But here in Phoenix there was never interruption because Cordes Lake-based Mega 104.3 FM is all about preserving "old school" R&B. Along with Laboe's show, mellow soul can be heard on shows like the Cruising with the Manic Hispanic, The Quiet Storm, Old School Block Party, and Angie "Angel of the Airwaves" Gomez's show. From vintage fare by Marvin Gaye, the Commodores, Earth, Wind and Fire, and the Bee Gees to more current jams by Janet Jackson and Alicia Keys, Mega has smooth and soulful cuts on lock. Dedications, of course, are welcome.

96.3 Real Country doesn't play exclusively vintage country — you'll hear hits from Jason Aldean, Brad Paisley, and even some of that "bro country" stuff that's all the rage — but the station does lean toward old-school Western sounds, meaning DJs like Erika Smith Royal, Mark Mayfield, Ralph Davis, and morning show cards Dingo and Cole will spin classics by Bocephus, George Strait, Wynonna Judd, and more. Broadcasting from Wickenburg, a town with Western appeal to spare, Real Country's vibe is no B.S. and homespun, and its DJs sound at home on the air.

Part of the Sierra H Broadcasting empire along with old-school station Mega 104.3 FM, 101.1 Owners Jay Brentlinger and Steve Szalay are veterans of the Air Force and National Guard, respectively. They named their company "Sierra H" for a slang term meaning "hot shit," and that's a good description of what the station plays, spinning classic hip-hop from the Pharcyde, LL Cool J, Tupac, Snoop Dogg, and Biggie as well as songs from rap's modern stalwarts like Lil Wayne and Jay Z. Morning jock Hospe is one of the best in the Valley, blending hip-hop news and hilarious sketches, and his playlists exemplify everything you want in a heritage hip-hop station: modern classics alongside vintage ones, with an eye toward the future.

Community-driven and -staffed by a dedicated group of volunteers, Radio Phoenix is unmatched in diversity and passion. The station's music programs cover sounds from afar and our own backyards, and they do it well. Kaja Brown's alt-hip-hop show HipRawk Nation, roots program Full Moon Hacksaw, Soul Deluxe with DJ Byron Fenix all rep music not getting enough shine on commercial stations, and the station's locally driven shows, like Yab Yum's Bungalow Show, Arizona Music 586 (staffed by Phoenix's local musicians' union), and local reggae legend Walt Richardson's My World of Music are among the most comprehensive and interesting on the station. Select programming is simulcast on KVIT 90.7 FM and 92.7 and KWSS 93.9 throughout the week, but it's all available — to Phoenix and the whole globe — online.

It's hard to know what exactly is going on when you find yourself tuned to 87.9 FM in Phoenix and listening to harsh noise, bizarre dubstep, and other unclassifiable mixes from the desert underground. Broadcast illegally, this is pirate radio at its weirdest. The signal comes and goes — but it's always streaming at www.kwfucc.com, an insanely designed site that features a message that sums up the station's uncanny appeal: "look i know we are no web desighners [sic] but fuck it this az we just make shit up as we go." By the time you read this, it's entirely possible that the station has vanished like a ghost from the FM dial, but don't be surprised when it shows back up again, making little to no sense at all, the exact opposite of what you'll hear anywhere else on the radio.

The bearded brewers at Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. in Gilbert need little introduction in the craft beer scene at this point, and they are used to people lining up for their beer. But when the Bear Wallow Berliner Weiss, one of their signature opening beers, hopped back on the menu, the line just got bigger. This sour-style beer was one of the first to be produced locally, setting the bar for breweries to begin sourcing local grain, which, like much of their beer, is built from Hayden Mills Sonoran White heritage wheat. At only 3.2 percent ABV, you can taste every last nuance — and go back for more.

This little distillery in Tempe has big ambition, the kind that's led to a distinguished Double Gold medal at the San Francisco Spirits competition for its Desert Dry Gin. To be sure, judges, local bartenders, and drinkers alike are enjoying Arizona terroir like never before: in herbaceous gin. Sourced from locales like Cottonwood, the gin features a 5-C's lineup of botanicals: cinnamon, coriander, cardamom, cumin, and citrus. Of course, there's our friend juniper, and a little lavender, and apple as well.