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...

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...