[4] "To be seen and treated as an equal by someone you hold in high regard is a gratifying and refreshing feeling," says frontman John O'Callaghan on working with Benson.
"[He] opened his studio doors, did that and much more which helped provide the platform to create an album we can now all stand behind.
[16] On May 31, "Birthday in Los Angeles" and "Blood Red" were released exclusively for streaming via Billboard.
It was released in the US in partnership with the group's management team Eighty One Twenty Three, and Rude Records internationally.
[17] In June and July, the group went on the 8123 tour in North America alongside A Rocket to the Moon, This Century and Brighten.
[26] On June 17,the band released a deluxe version of the album with five additional bonus tracks.
[30] Gregory Heaney of AllMusic rated the album three stars out of five, writing that the album "(Strikes) just the right balance between melancholy and wistfulness, (evoking) nostalgia without feeling overly sentimental as it takes a contemplative stroll down memory lane with a city-meets-country sound that feels inspired by the more pop-leaning moments of bands like Wilco and the Old 97's.
"[31] Alternative Press remarked, "Forever Halloween continues the Maine's upward trajectory — O'Callaghan's songwriting is stronger, and the '90s alt-rock vibe they introduced on Pioneer is more prominent — but the lyrics are quite the opposite, dealing in somber, real-world situations, from the gilded gleam of the business ('Birthday in Los Angeles') to self-doubt ('Happy') and damaged relationships ('These Four Words').
"[1] Marina Oliver of idobi Radio stated, "The album boasts worldliness in comparison to The Maine's earlier catalogue, and it’s evident from the authenticity of the collection how effectively the members have channeled their experience of growing up into their work.
It is easily their most composed and self-assured release to date, it's just a few steps short from becoming what would cement them as serious contenders in the pop rock field.