You can't read a review of the Bay Area based trio, Weekend, without the inevitable comparison to Jesus and Mary Chain—an apt point of reference thanks to their plentiful use of shoegaze distortion and new wave worthy monotone vocals. Formed in 2009 by longtime friends Shaun Durkan, Kevin Johnson, and Abe Pedroza, the trio received across the board praise for their 2010 full-length, Sports, an album structured on dense and swirling guitar melodies, exacting rhythms, and a subdued enthusiasm all their own. Their latest, Red, released just this past September, is a demonstration of reverb-laden pop at it's best, with just enough noise to keep it grounded in the dark and hazy tones of its predecessors. ANNE OSTROWSKI