''Worse for the Wear'' is the third album by

The New Amsterdams The New Amsterdams is an American band featuring Matthew Pryor of The Get Up Kids. In a certain sense, they represented the acoustic counter-project to The Get up Kids. In contrast to The Get Up Kids, this project features acoustic guitars, the ...

, released in 2003 on

Vagrant Records Vagrant Records is an American record label based in California. It was founded in 1995 by Rich Egan and Jon Cohen. The label focuses on rock, but features artists in a variety of other genres including folk, soul, electronic, and pop. It is home ...

Background

This is the first New Amsterdams album to have a full band, as the previous albums have always been primarily solo material from the lead singer Matt Pryor as a side project from

The Get Up Kids The Get Up Kids are an American rock band from Olathe, Kansas. Formed in 1995, the band was a major player in the mid-1990s Midwest emo scene, otherwise known as the " second wave" of emo music. Their second album ''Something to Write Home About' ...

. It was recorded over the course of three months at the

Red House Studios Ed Rose is an American sound engineer and record producer. He has worked extensively with groups in the modern emo and pop punk scenes. He also co-owns Black Lodge Recording with Rob Pope and his brother Ryan Pope, members of the emo band The Get ...

in Eudora,

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...

. The album was recorded with Rob and

Ryan Pope Ryan Pope is an American musician who lives in Lawrence, Kansas. History Ryan Pope grew up in Olathe, Kansas. In the summer of 1994, he was in a band called "Kingpin" with his brother Rob and future The Get Up Kids bandmate Jim Suptic. After t ...

, as well as longtime friend and producer

Ed Rose Ed Rose is an American sound engineer and record producer. He has worked extensively with groups in the modern emo and pop punk scenes. He also co-owns Black Lodge Recording with Rob Pope and his brother Ryan Pope, members of the emo band The Get ...

after the release of the third Get Up Kids album

On a Wire ''On a Wire'' is the third studio album by American rock band The Get Up Kids on Vagrant Records. Released three years after their breakout sophomore album ''Something to Write Home About'', ''On a Wire'' was a massive departure from the band's est ...

, and because the band was promoting that album at the time, The New Amsterdams did not tour extensively to promote the album, although they did make an appearance on the

Late Show with David Letterman The ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the The Late Show (franchise), ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by ...

. The 3rd episode of One Tree Hill, Season One, was named after 'Are You True?'.

Track listing

Reception

"With its touches of banjo, flashes of wry humor, and more sprightly tempos ..''Worse for the Wear'' is the most relaxed-sounding and brightest New Amsterdams record yet, and with songs as catchy as "The Spoils of the Spoiled," and the oddly '70s rock piano-based tune, "From California," the New Amsterdams are in danger of taking over from the Get Up Kids as Pryor's most interesting and memorable band." - Allmusic "The most basic thing to be said is that the album is fine. It's not really that bad. Not really exciting, either . . . just fine." - popmatters

Personnel

* Matt Pryor - Vocals, Guitar, Lap Steel, and Pump Organ (on "Vignette") *

Rob Pope Robert Pope is an American musician, best known as the bassist for Spoon and The Get Up Kids. History Rob Pope grew up in Olathe, Kansas. In the summer of 1994, he was in a band called "Kingpin" with his brother Ryan and future Get Up Kids band ...

- Bass *

- Drums and Percussion *

- Guitar, Drums, Producer, Engineering, and Mixing *Kory Willis - Banjo, Lap Steel *Joe Gastwirt - Mastering *Ron Hayes - Associate Producer *Alex Brahl - Management *Andrew Ellis - Booking

References

2003 albums The New Amsterdams albums Albums produced by Ed Rose Vagrant Records albums {{2000s-indie-rock-album-stub