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...

Jeristotle has quickly adjusted to the new dimension of hip hop, and his latest single "They Sold Me On The TV" is sufficient proof of his significant evolution in this field. The new song, "The Birth Of An Artist," is taken from his debut solo album and was written especially for you. It depicts the artist's story in a way that will speak to listeners. The song's...