If life's passing you by too fast you could do worse than picking up Steve Abel's new album Luck/Hope.
Described as an "alt-folk balladeer" and "singer-songwriter of the truth", the New Zealand environmentalist, who won The Saddest Song In The World competition in East Berlin in 2009, this week releases his follow-up to 2006's Little Death and 2008's Flax Happy.
Luck/Hope is a beautiful masterpiece, achingly slow in places, astoundingly epic in others.
Fans of Tiny Ruins or even Wilco will enjoy Abel's amalgam of melancholia and joy, folk and pop-rock, noise and silence.
Upbeat single Sidewalk Doves has been followed by the moving Best Thing, with Jolie Holland joining Abel on vocals and violin, and a video made by Florian Habicht.
Abel's Auckland 6 Auckland gig at the Wine Cellar has sold out, but a second show on August 7 has been announced today, also with Reb Fountain in support. Tickets $15 at Under the Radar. Note the second show is an early evening show.
Abel will be also be playing Wellington's Meow on August 18 (tickets $15 at Under The Radar) and Raumati Social Club on August 19 (tickets $15 on the door).
Still on the environmental theme, Kiwi DJ/producer Ryan Enzed has released a new single with singer Helen Corry.
She Said is about a conversation with Mother Earth, says Corry. "One where she is saying 'You understand that you're destroying me, yet you continue to live your lives as if nothing is happening. Don't you understand that I could destroy all of you?'."
Enzed's YouTube channel has attracted nearly 6 million views.
Hip-hop collective Third3ye have followed up their debut album On3ness with an eight-track EP called 3P.
MeloDownz and Angelo King have brought together a diverse range of collaborators on a record they say is not your "run-of-the-mill" hip-hop release.
From the get-go 3P incorporates te reo and driving beats, along with collaboration from iLL Baz, Bailey Wiley and Jeremy Toy among others.
Method Man & Redman have announced a one-off show in New Zealand as part of their Blackout Tour.
The rap duo will perform at Auckland's Town Hall on September 6, with Sir-Vere and Team Dynamite in support.
Revisit a classic With the appearance this week of Hope Sandoval on the new Massive Attack EP, it's worth revisiting the singer on Mazzy Star's classic So Tonight That I Might See.
The 1993 album featured Fade Into You, possiby their biggest song alongside 1990 student radio fave Halah.
