Editor’s Note: Once again, The Selective Echo welcomes Wendy Christensen, the manager/buyer of Positively 4th St. Music, who reports regularly on new music and products at the store.

News:

Adam and Craig have joined the staff as expert music customer consultants.

Just in time for the holidays: posters of musical greats and classical favorites, new Riktor Peeps sunglasses (a locally-made product), and turntables which continue to fly out of the store.

Community musicians, bands, and performance artists are encouraged to share posters and information with the store which has dedicated a large space for local music news.

The store’s top-selling items: Black Starr, Cut Chemist, Devendra Banhart, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Heliocentrics, I’m Not There Soundtrack, used rock LPs, special order CDs, glass art, and headphones.

Local Artist Closeup: Fizzy Form

Fizzy Form “still knowoneknows” listen to him here. He just recently played live shows at Monks and at Bar Deluxe, and wow! It was bananas! His DJ CHASEONE2 played doubles (2 copies of the same record) of classic material. He was rhyming over the Beatles, Bill Withers, BB King, and other. These guys brought it back to the basics when hip hop was fun.

New Releases:

Robert Plant/Alison Krauss-Raising Sand CD: What may seem like an unlikely duo of former Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant and bluegrass superstar Alison Krauss is actually one of the most effortless-sounding pairings in modern popular music. In traditional Robert Plant style, it’s eccentric and a throwback to the 70s, but yet it still can compare with modern style. Robert Plant’s genius still maintains through the years with some amazing influence from Alison Krauss. This release is definitely worth repeated listening.

I’m Not There-Original Soundtrack: This is the ultimate collection of Bob Dylan covers - ranging from Eddie Vedder to Yo La Tengo. This is a must-have for any Dylan fan. Come in and have a listen or come pick it up, knowing it will be a great gift for anyone who appreciates great music.

Jay-Z - American Gangster CD and DVD: Jay-Z can, and willm deliver, and this album is a perfect example of his talent and abilities as a vocalist and producer. The beats he samples are brilliant. They’re not beats most people of this generation would recognize, or beats he would have composed himself. He is intelligent, talented, and, most importantly, always worthy of listening. Give this recording a shot, even if you hate Jay-Z, because you’re bound to find at least a few personally impressive elements in his technique.

Alicia Keys - As I Am CD and LP: On her third full-length album, Keys again amazes audiences with her crafted vocals and piano harmonies and who can bring forth full-band arrangements and horn hooks in a combination that drove the singles off her first two albums. This album gives you a fresh taste of an existing talent, but also from a different perspective. She has the talent to “wow” you with her ability to cross genres, to supersede R&B and soul to produce something beyond any specific genre identity. To gain a substantial appreciation of her musical gifts requires repeated listening. The gifts of each song will emerge fully.