The New Amsterdams

At first, the New Amsterdams existed as a Matt Pryor side project, living in the shadow of his other band, the Get Up Kids. For five years, the Amsterdams were satisfied to quietly turn heads. Things have changed. These days, Pryor isn't two-timing anymore. The Kids broke up in July 2005 (they're all still friends), and Pryor began to focus on his family and the Amsterdams. The band's latest release, this year's Story Like a Scar, comes packed with heavy-hearted, downy-soft rock. The album is most surprising for the way it bends the ever-morphing definition of indie rock. Perhaps because the album was recorded in Nashville, many of the numbers are infused with alt-country influences that add an unpredictable but alluring twang to the sound. Get Up Kids mourners should climb aboard this wagon. — Jesse Nathan