Nobody likes a whiner.

Matthew Pryor, one of the Get Up Kids, whines a lot while singing for his New Amsterdams. Consequently, the latest album, Para Toda Vida, by said Amsterdams isn't that fun of a listen.

Pryor really doesn't whine all that much when he's singing for the Get Up Kids, and their stuff isn't all that bad. But Para Toda Vida is a chore to get through, and it's only half an hour long.

It's not that the album is bad -- in smaller doses it's worth hearing -- but the mood never changes, dragging the listener down like an anchor.

The harmonica on the opener, "My Old Man Had a Pistol," actually gets Para Toda Vida off to a fun start, but after that it's all downhill, at least when it comes to emotions.

The songs are mostly non-distinct. Not because they're bad, but because without much variation from the acoustic guitar, and a barely-any-percussion sound, it's hard to tell where one song ends and the next begins.

Worth hearing? Yeah, in parts. But if you're feeling as down as the New Amsterdams, you'll probably feel a lot better if you spend your $15 on something else.

-- Reviewed by Justin Stranzl