Background
The EP was originally intended to be a mini-LP, and was to be the first part of The Weekend series, with Saturday and Sunday following. Lead guitarist Marc Stewart explained that the idea was to "have a lot of music come out really quick [...] we'll be able to send out a CD with seven songs every six to nine months, or through the course of a year." However, as a large number of songs were written, the band decided to release a full-length self-titled album instead. On September 21, 2009, the group announced the release date of the EP. On November 13, the band streamed the entire EP on their Myspace page.
The first single from the EP, "What Do You Want from Me", was originally released on October 30, 2009. A music video was later released on YouTube in late December. On March 19, 2010, the single was re-released for the film Diary of a Wimpy Kid, entitled "What Do You Want from Me (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Mix)".
The second single from the EP, "She Likes (Bittersweet Love)" was released on January 14, 2010. In April 2010, the band had posted multiple teaser videos on their YouTube account in preparation for the release of the full music video for the song. The music video for the song premiered on April 19.
The band supported British band You Me at Six on their UK tour in March 2010. In May and June, the band went on the Bamboozle Road Show 2010 tour.
Critical reception
The Weekend: Friday was met with mixed reviews from music critics. Tim Sendra of AllMusic remarked, "The enthusiasm of the band and Cook, the hermetically sealed production techniques, and the overall catchiness of the tunes give the band and the EP a boost that helps them stay afloat in the still rising tide of emo-pop bands in the late 2000s." However, he was critical on the track "Hawkbot", as he called it a, "wrongheaded idea." Blake Solomon of AbsolutePunk.net gave a mixed review labelling songs like "Hawkbot" and "Hip Hop Chick", "pieces of absolute garbage." However, he did state, "A lot of attention has been correctly given to the choruses, and for the most part they end up stuck in your head." A negative review came from Ryan Drever of The Skinny criticizing the "auto-tune riddled vocals" and "sparkly synths." However, he praised the EP's production and harmonies.
