Within the first minute of Fedstar's new single "Treat Me Right," it is clear that a great deal of effort was put into the creation of the song. The title of the song suggests that once she is your companion, you are obligated to behave appropriately with her. Who wouldn't want access to the very best treatment? The lyrics of the song appear to be a...

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...