Asbury Park, NJ’s Teenage Halloween make world-weary yet life-affirming punk rock with power-pop hooks. Their self-titled debut full-length, released on Don Giovanni Records last month, is packed with towering anthems that bridge the personal and political — “these songs are about mental health and queer struggles,” says their Bandcamp — atop piercing guitars and Luke Henderiks’ urgent yowl. It’s got big, sweet harmonies, and piano and sax give the band a bright, beefed-up sound. Our own Tom Breihan compared them favorably to Jeff Rosenstock, which makes sense since their name comes from a song lyric by the DIY pop-punk hero.

For no other reason than their name is Teenage Halloween, I enlisted Henderiks and bandmates Eli Frank, Tricia Marshall, and Peter Gargano to review some Peak 2020 costumes (to wear to your Zoom Halloween party). Ali Nugent filmed it at Creative Space in Long Branch, NJ, and the group also wrangled BD from P.R.O.G.R.A.M. to help model everything. Which costume will make you feel “pretty terrible”? Which one smells “like a Sports Authority”? Watch below if you dare [spooky laugh].

Thank you Teenage Halloween, and thanks as always to our socially distanced video editor Matt Neatock.

In addition to buying their album, you can watch Teenage Halloween perform this Friday night (10/30) in a “Hallowstream” livestream on DonGio’s YouTube. The concert begins at 7:30PM EST with an opening set by Little Hag, and Teenage Halloween will accept donations (Venmo: @teenagehalloween) with a portion of the proceeds benefitting Black & Pink.