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...

Okay, so Jari Salmikivi. From Sweden, they make music. Right, got it. This particular serving, "Believe (Remix)", lands in the dance/pop arena, which, if you’re keeping score at home, means it’s basically designed to get you moving and possibly singing along into your hairbrush. But wait, there's more. It aims to dose you with pure, unadulterated positive energy, all served up with lyrics that...