Halloween can be an inspiring topic for musicians. The Misfits' "Halloween" evokes dark autumn evenings with snarling vocals and captivating riffs, while AFI's Misfits-influenced All Hallows EP is a punk-rock filled love letter to the holiday. The Maine's Forever Halloween takes a sombre look, presenting Halloween as an emotional state and not just a passing holiday.
So far three singles have been released from Forever Halloween, each one as engrossing as the next. Strikingly, there is not one piece of filler on this album.
"Birthday in Los Angeles" is the antidote to The Decemberists' "Los Angeles, I'm Yours". Instead of feeling like you belong in a place and admiring even the downsides, "Birthday in Los Angeles" laments unsuccessfully trying to grasp at some glimmer of belonging in LA, or perhaps what LA represents. As John O'Callaghan ends the song singing "fuck you LA" there's no anger, just sweet acceptance of things as they are.
The attention-grabbing "Kennedy Curse" is a catchy track, draped in squealing guitars and determined vocals. As O'Callaghan pleads for someone to "Come and take my heart/And tear it apart" it feels like you couldn't possibly refuse. It's heartbreak, it's real but it's presented with a down-played confidence that makes this song markedly different from others of the same ilk.
"Sad Songs" displays a temporary change in the mood of the album. As the name suggests it's a clever ode to sad songs, with a radio-ready smattering of upbeat guitar lines that constantly build and build, perfect backing vocals and insistent drums laced with intermittent riffs. "Sad Songs" will have you happily singing along in seconds.
Meanwhile "These Four Words" signals the end of the party, it seems maybe Halloween isn't forever after all. While the other songs on Forever Halloween traverse different themes "These Four Words" instead serves as a resigned and honest admission that you're no longer in love. The piano backing and lingering vocals change the atmosphere, sounding more endearingly apologetic than sad.
What starts off as an exciting, upbeat pop-rock album also encompasses brief but stunning moments of memorable sentimentality. Just when you think you have Forever Halloween figured out all you have to do is burrow a little deeper into the album to find an unmistakably sincere flipside. It just goes to show that even if it is Halloween forever your mask will inevitably slip.
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