The New Amsterdams

Like a vacant wind whistling across a distant prairie, the New Amsterdams' hollow-eyed ruminations are often eerie and unsettling yet at times unexpectedly enticing. The band's fourth effort is a mostly furtive affair, one that takes time to gain traction. Many of the melodies linger just out of reach, and with several of the songs clocking in at well under three minutes, it's a fleeting encounter at best. Nevertheless this is a band that puts the emphasis on ambiance, with pedal steel, harmonica, banjo, and muffled drums providing a hushed, economical backdrop for singer-songwriter Matt Pryor's wistful reflections. "I was lost 'til I found you.... Stay if you want to," Pryor gently intones on the lovely "Turn Out the Light," making an inconclusive plea for mutual affirmation.