The fourth album from Tempe, Arizona alt-rockers
the Maine
,
Forever Halloween
finds the band continuing to refine their sound, a process that started back in 2010 with
Black & White
. Striking just the right balance between melancholy and wistfulness, the album evokes nostalgia without feeling overly sentimental as it takes a contemplative stroll down memory lane with a city-meets-ountry sound that feels inspired by the more pop-leaning moments of bands like
Wilco
and
the Old 97's
. Fans of
are going to have an easy time falling in love with this one, but anyone looking for a new slice of that (relatively) old alt-rock sound should give
a chance to get its hooks into them. ~ Gregory Heaney