The city of Amsterdam conjures images of Van Gogh, Anne Frank, hookers and hash bars. The New Amsterdams, on the other hand, is pure Americana -- acoustic guitars jangle, melodies shimmer and the lyrics tread lightly. Somehow, it doesn't suck. In fact, the Lawrence outfit (really a sideshow for Get Up Kids frontman Matt Pryor) is riding a wave of success with its third full-length, Worse for the Wear, easily the strongest showing in eons from any Kids-related project. This fall, the Ams offered a stripped-down variation of itself on Late Show with David Letterman, right around the time Rolling Stone weighed in with a four-star review. A steady diet of touring -- including a round of shows supporting Evan Dando -- has also kept the Ams in the national spotlight.
