Add John Brodeur to the long list of literate singer/songwriters struggling to be heard over, well, the long list of literate singer/songwriters. After years in New York State’s capital region, he’s taken his pursuits south to New York City. Little Hopes was written and rewritten over a few years' time and recorded on four- and eight-track cassette machines, Pro Tools, and any device that could semi-reliably capture sound. At the start of “Dig,” there’s the sound of crackling vinyl. Add to that the album’s 10-track length, and you can fully understand where Brodeur’s heart lies. Though he also plays in a variety of bands (The Morning After Girls, Highspire, The Robin Electric, Golden Animals), this solo album—where he plays all the instruments, except bass on a few tracks—showcases enough sides of the man to know he’s ambitious and eclectic. “Favorite Feeling” would be the album’s power pop single, if such things existed. “Old Wounds” is closer to weary, Neil Young–type folk than the track actually called “Neil Young.”