J. Matthews is a distinctive force in the world of modern pop music. He has created a one-of-a-kind aural environment that speaks to listeners from all different walks of life. His music creates a tapestry of disconnected but united rhapsodies, with each story developing via unique chapters and surprising turns. His music is like a tapestry. J. Matthews, who is a poet and singer at heart,...

The first listen of Haus of Sound’s new single, “Mirage,” is like walking into a room where a beautifully ornate vase has just been shattered against a wall. There's a jagged, crystalline energy here, a collision of theatrical drama and raw, modern discontent. Evolving from their 2000s tribute roots, the Everett band has synthesized the best of that era’s angst—the coiled tension of early...