Weekend

Just in case anybody was wondering, this isn't a new album by the post-Young Marble Giants project that haven't been in a studio for almost 30 years. In fact, it couldn't be any further away from their the light jazz, as this Weekend, hailing from San Francisco, CA, hide behind an almost impenetrable wall of feedback and are all about the noise. Sports, the band's debut album, is a loud, dense release that owes a huge debt to the likes of My Bloody Valentine, the Jesus and Mary Chain and even early Sonic Youth. But under all the screeching guitars, and there many, there are some sweeter moments that float to the surface before getting pulled back down into the cacophony. What helps to elevate this to the level of great album is the band's ability to find the right balance within each song. For example, "End Times" starts off like a Joy Division outtake, with its rumbling bass, before the guitars really kick in and the dynamic changes completely. With its fresh take on noise pop that doesn't forget about songwriting, Sports is an exciting album that suggests great things lay ahead for Weekend.