Martin Sexton tends to take his time between studio albums, so it makes sense that he's dropped a five-song EP, Fall Like Rain; rather than waiting for his muse to deliver a dozen tunes, he's offering fans four new numbers and a cover, and if the results don't have the heft of a full-length effort, they capture Sexton sounding committed and inspired.

There's a guarded optimism to the new songs on Fall Like Rain as he sings of the need for unity and a better world on "One Voice Together," steps back from darkness on the title cut, and celebrates a relationship that's survived against the odds in "Happy Anniversary (Six Years)." Sexton's vocal style, a limber folkie's take on R&B, is a perfect fit for his lyrical and melodic approach, and while most of these songs are fresh, they have a comfortable, lived-in quality, and Sexton and his accompanists put a solid if measured kick into the performances.

The closing track, a cover of Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth," is this set's one genuine misstep; while Sexton's take on the song is clearly his own, the jazzy strut of his performance robs the song of its tension and power, especially as the Occupy movement makes its appearance here very timely.

But the originals show Sexton has a solid grasp on his own songs, and Fall Like Rain works well enough to suggest that EPs may be the way for Sexton to go when he's stuck between long players.