Take Jack Horton, a Portland-based singer-songwriter whose path to folk-Americana included stops at Japanese law school, Tokyo piano bars, corporate boardrooms, and government offices. His latest EP, "Imperfections," feels like finding someone's private journal set to music. And that someone happens to write really, really well. The five-song collection opens with "Set Me Free," a piano-driven confession that might surprise anyone expecting typical breakup bitterness. Horton...

The song very much is what the headline describes. We don't dramatize anything; everything is exactly as we describe it. Perpie has released a new song titled "Ututu (Teta)"; it is a lively and soulful song that expands on the rhythmic patterns and erratic tempo of African labour songs. It's a wonderful mix of jazz, soul, and folk, with captivating rhythms, calm melodies, and honest lyrics....