DEAD LETTER OFFIC(LP - R.E.M.

DEAD LETTER OFFICE is a collection of early B-sides and unreleased tracks. It includes the entire CHRONIC TOWN EP. R.E.M.: Michael Stipe (vocals); Peter Buck (guitar); Mike Mills (bass); Bill Berry (drums). Additional personnel includes: Mitch Easter (acoustic guitar). Producers include: Mitch Easter, R.E.M., Joe Boyd, Don Dixon, Don Gehman. Includes liner notes by Peter Buck. The "outtakes" album is all too often treated as a dumping ground for excess studio tape or contractual obligation. While this collection of rarities makes no effort to refute either charge, it is wide-ranging, informative and uniformly rewarding nonetheless. Spanning the band's career, DEAD LETTER OFFICE is culled from a variety of albums and other sources. It provides a novel perspective, playful and occasionally downright silly, with friendly, self-effacing liner notes by guitarist Peter Buck. The range of production varies greatly, too: some outtakes, such as "Burning Down," are given full treatment. In