R.E.M. - Automatic for the People (1992) [24-192]

Automatic for the People is the eighth studio album by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released by Warner Bros. Records on October 5, 1992 in the United Kingdom and Europe, and on the following day in the United States. R.E.M. began production on the album while their previous album, Out of Time (1991), was still ascending top albums charts and achieving global success. Aided by string arrangements from John Paul Jones, Automatic for the People features ruminations on mortality, loss, mourning, and nostalgia.

•     Bill Berry – drums, percussion, keyboards, bass guitar, backing vocals, melodica on "Find the River"
•     Peter Buck – electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, bass guitar, bouzouki on "Monty Got a Raw Deal"
•     Mike Mills – bass guitar, piano, keyboards, accordion, backing vocals, double bass on "New Orleans Instrumental No. 1"
•     Michael Stipe – lead vocals 

01. Drive - 4:31

02. Try Not To Breathe - 3:50

03. The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite - 4:09

04. Everybody Hurts - 5:21

05. New Orleans Instrumental No. 1 - 2:16

06. Sweetness Follows - 4:21

07. Monty Got A Raw Deal - 3:18

08. Ignoreland - 4:27

09. Star Me Kitten - 3:16

10. Man On The Moon - 5:14

11. Nightswimming - 4:18

12. Find The River - 3:53

Carole King - Home Again (Live From Central Park, New York City, May 26, 1973) [DVD 5 + FLAC-HD]

The brand new feature-length concert documentary “Home Again: Carole King Live In Central Park,” which presents musical icon Carole King’s triumphant May 26, 1973 homecoming concert on The Great Lawn of New York City’s Central Park before an estimated audience of 100,000, is out today, February 9 (also King’s birthday), streaming exclusively on The Coda Collection. Directed by George Scott and produced by Lou Adler and John McDermott, the film presents the complete multi-camera 16mm footage filmed and recorded by Adler in 1973 but never before released.

Joe Bonamassa - A New Day Now (20th Anniversary Edition) (2020/FLAC-HD)

A New Day Yesterday is the debut studio album by American blues rock musician Joe Bonamassa. Recorded at Pyramid Recording Studios in Ithaca, New York, it was released on October 24, 2000 by independent record label Okeh in tandem with Epic Records and 550 Music. 

To mark the album's 20th anniversary, A New Day Yesterday was remixed, remastered and released in 2020 under the title A New Day Now: 20th Anniversary Edition. The reissue was produced by Kevin Shirley, features re-recorded vocal tracks, and includes three previously unreleased recordings from 1997 produced by Steven Van Zandt.

Guns N' Roses - Use Your Illusion (Super Deluxe 7 CD + BDRip, 2022) [FLAC + FLAC-HD]

Guns N’ Roses are to reissue their 1991 albums Use Your Illusion I & Use Your Illusion II across nine different physical formats including 7CD+blu-ray and 12LP vinyl+blu-ray super deluxe editions.

Both albums have been “fully remastered for the first-time ever”, from hi-res 96/24 transfers from the original stereo 1/2-inch analog masters. Use Your Illusion I includes an updated version of the single ‘November Rain’ which features a newly recorded 50-piece orchestra (this has been mixed by Steven Wilson, incidentally).

The 7CD+blu-ray super deluxe features both remastered albums, Live in New York (from the Ritz Theatre in May ’91) across two CDs, Live in Las Vegas (from the Thomas & Mack Center in January ’92) across three CDs. Both have been newly mixed from the multi-track tapes.

The bonus blu-ray video disc features the complete Live In New York concert film, “newly transferred from 35mm film prints to 4K UHD”.

 

John Lee Hooker - The Healer (1989) [24-192]

The Healer was a major comeback for John Lee Hooker. Featuring a wide array of guest stars, including Bonnie Raitt, Johnnie Johnson, and Los Lobos, The Healer captured widespread media attention because of all the superstar musicians involved in its production. Unfortunately, that long guest list is what makes the album a fairly unengaging listen. Certainly there are moments were it clicks, but that's usually when the music doesn't greatly expand on his stripped-down boogie.

John Lee Hooker was 73 years old when the album was released. It was his first Grammy win and was the album that had placed highest on the Billboard charts in his forty-year career. The album had such success that it "permitted John Lee Hooker to live out the end of his life in comfort". Powers recounts with joy sending a large royalty check to Hooker, and the deep gratitude he felt for the opportunity to help him to finally achieve the recognition he deserved.