Little Brazil

After playing in bands with Connor Oberst (the Desaperacidos) and Tim Kasher (the Good Life), Landon Hedges started Little Brazil with Danny Maxwell in 2002 and recorded their debut, You and Me, before adding two more members and constantly touring around the States, playing shows with Tegan & Sarah, Cursive and other noteworthy names. For their second full-length, Tighten the Noose, the Omaha, NE-based rockers enlisted A.J. Mogis (the Faint, Rilo Kiley) to produce what would become a diverse set of focused rock tracks. Little Brazil are more comparable to Drive Thru’s House of Fools or alt-rock radio’s best pal the Fray than the visionary indie rockers mentioned above (i.e., Cursive). Their experienced musical talent rears its head in between the simple songs every so often, like on opener "A Thrilling Entrance,” which has an ambient, dynamic edge to it, or the melancholy, whispery "On The Ropes,” which is enhanced with pleasing guitar noodling. For the rest of the record, Little Brazil have tailored their writing to garnering radio play, and in that respect they will most likely be successful, but their habit of treading water won’t win them artistic merit.