Playlist

Music

Americana styles

Justin Townes Earle's new album, Kids in the Street, represents one of those rare moments when an entire career comes together all at once. The album combines the lessons and promise of Earle's previous six albums into something new and wholly fulfilling.

The songs, with help from US producer Mike Mogis, take on a variety of Americana styles, from blues and folk to rock, all in service of his well-crafted tales. Same Old Stagolee is his twist on the classic country tale Stagger Lee, infusing it with a class battle. There's a bit of Cajun spice in 15-25, while the straightforward Trouble Is lets Earle's self-deprecating charm shine through.

This is the album longtime Earle fans have waited for and one new fans never knew they needed.

TV

Secret surprises

Whoever said marriages are made in heaven probably never watched HBO's latest show Big Little Lies, or, for that matter, was probably never married.

But, as untruthful as partners have been to you, and the rest of the world, you can now retaliate with moves that will bring you endless catharsis, and, more importantly, get them the comeuppance that they deserve.

The central conceit of the show is that a murder has occurred in this seemingly peaceful community, but it is never revealed who the victim, or the perpetrator, is. As the story progresses, more layers are peeled off the central characters and more big little secrets are laid bare.

Like every great murder mystery - especially Broadchurch and Bloodline, with which it shares a similarly paradisal setting and sheer pulpiness of plot - Big Little Lies works within the almost doctrine-like confines of the genre and still manages to surprise.

Book

Our astrophysics

US astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson's latest book, Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, offers readers a quick and easy introduction to the cosmos.

Tyson says that for the book he combs the universe and handpicks those things that he believes are the most striking, mind-blowing, intriguing and mysterious, and then establishes a story arc.

Tyson's desire to share his knowledge of the universe is seemingly unquenchable. He has hosted the mind-expanding TV series Cosmos, a reboot of the original show presented by his mentor, Carl Sagan, and currently hosts Star Talk, a podcast that mixes cosmology and comedy.

China Daily - Agencies