There is a specific kind of betrayal reserved for the morning of December 25th, and with Jamie Alimorad releasing “Santa Sucks”, that indignity finally has its proper anthem. We are often force-fed audio syrup during the winter months, tracks that insist upon peace on earth while you’re stuck in gridlock traffic. Alimorad, however, chooses violence. Or at least, a very catchy form of neon-lit resentment.
The single opens not with sleigh bells, but with a punchy drum kit and a rhythmic bass line that lands with the visceral thud of a present dropping down the chimney only to reveal it’s not the toy you asked for. The production is deceptively cheerful. Bright, 80s-inspired synthesizer riffs dance around clean electric guitar strumming, creating a sonic texture that feels like a sugar rush before the crash. It reminds me of a specific shade of wrapping paper I saw once in a dentist’s waiting room: aggressively festive, meant to distract you from the impending drill.
Alimorad’s vocal performance is modern and polished, delivering the narrative of “Nice List” failure with a smooth confidence that barely hides the twitch of frustration. It explores that unique adolescent despair: the realization that the holiday season is a transactional economy, and sometimes, despite your virtuous behavior, the market crashes. He isn’t singing about peace; he’s singing about the socks and practical items that serve as the consolation prizes of childhood.
It is a brave juxtaposition. The track invites you to dance while simultaneously shaking a fist at the injustice of the North Pole’s bureaucracy. Most holiday songs ask for your heart; this one validates your spleen. It captures that rebellion against forced gratitude, wrapping angst in a commercially friendly package that sticks in your brain like pine needles in a carpet.
Why do we insist on perfect joy when the reality is often perfectly disappointing?
Website, Facebook, Twitter(X), Bandcamp, Instagram, Songkick, TikTok, YouTube.
