New Starts • A Little Stone • 2024

New Starts are Darren Hayman (of Darren Hayman, Hefner), Joely Smith (of adults, Fresh), and Will Connor and Giles Barrett (both of Tigercats).

https://li.sten.to/new-starts-more-break-up-songs

“The songs are vintage Hayman at first glance. And right from the start of ‘A Little Stone’, the Hefner crew will be delighted. But there’s an edge here that comes with the band arrangements. Dissonance, driven bass, and thudding toms. There’s an energy here that feels like a band in the right gear. There are lovely slow moments, too. The ‘Pale Blue Eyes’ of the album, ‘Don’t Need Persuading’, is up there with Hayman’s best songs. It’s a great new project from one of our best songwriters. Spend some time in a sad, but upbeat world.” The Quietus