For some kids one flash in the mainstream pan isn't enough. See Matthew Pryor, whose band The Get Up Kids has achieved status in the underground but has failed to satiate his desire to be heard.

Pryor's fledgling side project the New Amsterdams has just released its third album, Worse for the Wear, a disc that revolves around a lo-fi theme, and coinciding with his band, the album is packed with high-strung emotion.

Much like the New Amsterdam's first release Never You Mind, the album has more of an acoustic feel, with other instruments (steel lap guitar, mellotron, a pump organ, etc.) which differs greatly from the power-popish indie rock the Kid's generally play. The general themes of heartbreak and ache make this record a relaxing after party to the emo-kegger which is the Get Up Kids.

The album nonchalantly opens with an instrumental, "Vignette," which sets the tone for the rest of the album. The pace is picked up to a casual tap of the foot, evidenced on such tracks as "Hover Near Fame" and "From California."

Mostly though, the songs sound like a modern version of a saloon band in the wild west; quasi-sappy choruses that are sincere enough, accompanied by instruments played how they were supposed to be played.

By the end of the disc listeners will find it hard not to have a new member for their "Top Five Side Projects-that-are-better-than-the-main-project-they-came-from" list.

-- Reviewed by Andrew Hanelly