Two years later in January 2002, Pryor released Para Toda Vida, this time sticking almost purely to acoustic guitar, with the exception of a few tracks utilizing harmonica and banjo as well. However, the next year the band went a step further in the release of Worse for the Wear, which utilized a full band for the first time, which at this time included Get Up Kids bandmates Ryan Pope and his brother Rob, as well as longtime friend and producer Ed Rose. The album was one of the earlier albums to be recorded at Black Lodge Studios, the recording studio renovated and co-owned by Ed Rose and the members of The Get Up Kids.
The band's next album, Killed or Cured was released in 2005. However, it was written during a turbulent time within The Get Up Kids leading up to the band's breakup. Because of this Vagrant Records, the label to which both the bands were signed, didn't want to release the album until The Get Up Kids finished their farewell tour in the summer of that year. For this reason, a portion of the album was released online for free via the New Amsterdams website. The album was released in its full version through retail channels on April 10, 2007.
In 2006, the band released the album Story Like a Scar with what is now the current lineup, including Bill Belzer on drums, Eric McCann on upright bass, and Dustin Kinsey on guitar.
In September 2007, the band released another album, At the Foot of My Rival on CD, Vinyl and Digital Download. However, after a long relationship with Vagrant Records, the band decided to release the album on Elmar, (named after Pryor's son Elliot Marshall) an offshoot of Curb Appeal Records, owned in part by former Get Up Kids bandmate Jim Suptic.
In January 2008 the band released a collection of demos and b-sides, available exclusively through their website.
In May of the same year, they went on their first European tour, starting in Amsterdam. The band plans to go in a small hiatus after that, until the end of the year. After that, they will start working on the next album.
Musically, the songs are folksy and mellow. Lyrically, the songs often seem to deal with Christianity and religion though Matt hasn't made claims to any particular faith. Much of it could be considered "christian rock," though many fans of Pryor from his Get Up Kids days would probably deny or ignore such a comment.
Every Double Life
The New Amsterdams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Two circles never meeting
One in 92 and 95
And it's all been up to me
I may not listen to my own advice
It can be so overwhelming
There are strains on every double life
Yes it's true, you knew
You believed it
You should just turn
And walk away
Took a compliment and photograph
And committed it to memory
Model of how not to act
At least not imitate
I wouldn't it have been ideal
If it all fell down from Heaven
And how am I supposed to feel?
When I know what you did wrong
Yes it's true, you knew
You believed it
You should just turn
And walk away
Yes it's true, you knew
I was leaving
We're under the same
Skyline today
The lyrics of Every Double Life by The New Amsterdams seem to convey a sense of personal reflection and a realization of one's mistakes. The first stanza speaks about the two circles of life the singer has designed for himself, a life in 1992 and another in 1995 which have never intersected. He also takes responsibility for the direction of his life, implying the importance of taking control of one's choices. The second stanza seems to touch on the idea that even though the singer may give advice to others, it may not always be easy to follow that same advice. The line "There are strains on every double life, but you won't hear me complain" could refer to the idea of living two different lives being taxing, but he chooses not to complain because he knows it's his own doing.
Moving on to the third stanza, the singer seems to have taken a compliment and photograph as a model of how not to act or behave, at least not to imitate. This could be interpreted as learning from the wrongs of others and not repeating their mistakes. The next lines ("I wouldn't it have been ideal...") seem to express a sense of disappointment that things are not perfect and that sometimes even the most idealistic scenarios can't pan out the way one wants. The final lines of the song suggest a parting of ways, but the realization that despite physical distance or separation, they are still living under the same sky.
Line by Line Meaning
These are models of my own design
The singer has created their own way of doing things, their own set of blueprints to follow.
Two circles never meeting
The singer is describing two things that will never come together or intersect.
One in 92 and 95
It is unclear what these years refer to or represent, but they are important in some way to the singer.
And it's all been up to me
The artist has had to handle everything on their own and make decisions for themselves.
I may not listen to my own advice
The artist acknowledges that they sometimes fail to follow their own good advice.
It can be so overwhelming
The situations the singer faces can be too much to handle sometimes.
There are strains on every double life
Having two separate lives can create difficulties and pressure.
But you won't hear me complain
Despite the challenges, the artist is not going to complain about their situation.
Yes it's true, you knew
Someone else knew something that has now been revealed to be true.
You believed it
The person knew the truth of the situation all along and believed it to be true.
You should just turn
The person is advised to walk away and leave the situation behind.
And walk away
The advice to leave the situation is repeated.
Took a compliment and photograph
The singer has kept a compliment and photo as a memory of something important.
And committed it to memory
The singer has made sure to remember and not forget this important moment.
Model of how not to act
The singer has learned from this experience and is using it as an example of what not to do.
At least not imitate
The artist is saying they won't follow this example and will not make the same mistake.
I wouldn't it have been ideal
The artist is saying it would have been better if the situation had played out differently.
If it all fell down from Heaven
The singer would have preferred if the ideal solution had simply appeared out of nowhere.
And how am I supposed to feel?
The singer is expressing confusion about how they are supposed to feel in this situation.
When I know what you did wrong
The artist knows that someone else made a mistake in this situation and is struggling with how to feel about it.
I was leaving
The artist was planning on leaving this situation or person behind.
We're under the same skyline today
Despite the past events, the artist and the person they are referring to are still in the same physical location.
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave
Written by: MATTHEW PRYOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind