Description
Limited vinyl LP repressing. Dead Letter Office is a collection of rarities and b-sides by R.E.M. Released in 1987, the album is essentially a collection of many additional recordings R.E.M. made pre-Murmur to Lifes Rich Pageant that were outtakes or released as flip sides to their singles internationally. Many of the tracks are favorite cover versions indicating the band’s disparate influences and musical tastes, including three Velvet Underground covers, and songs by Pylon, Aerosmith and Roger Miller. Guitarist Peter Buck composed wry, self-deprecating (and, in one instance, apologetic) liner notes to the songs on the album. Buck initially had doubts about releasing it, saying he felt as though people would perceive the album as the band “trying to cash in, maybe to sell some records,” as the ultimate release date predated that of the band’s final studio album with I.R.S., Document, by a mere five months.
King Ahasuerus –
「マーマー」以前のデビューEP「クロニック・タウン」が収録されているのだが、全てのオルタナ/インディファン必聴。ラモーンズ直系のビート＆バーズ直系のアルペジオ＆聴き取り不鮮明かつ断片的なイメージ喚起優先の詩作スタイル、という初期REMの摩訶不思議なサウンドが最も如実に現れている。特に出世作The One I Loveを想わせるマイナー調の「Carnival Of Sorts (Boxcars)」の疾走感と美しいメロディは既に大物感がある。やはり世界的なビッグバンドになる下地は出来ているというか、とにかく曲構成が良い。それ以外のB面曲では、冒頭のカバー「Crazy」が素晴らしく、これは原曲よりもREMバージョンの方が大幅にグレードアップしている。本当に良いバンドはB面やボツ曲も味わい深いものだ。
スカスカ –
メロディの構成や音の質感が独特で、口では説明できないようなシュールな世界観がアルバム全体に感じられます。いつの間にか聴き入ってる自分がいて、そうかと思うと聴いてる事を忘れてる自分がいて、そして忘れてる事にハッと気づきまた聴き入ってるってな感じで。聴いてないようで聴いてる自分がいるみたいな。わけわかんない事言ってすみません苦笑一言で言うと、商売っけが全くないさりげなく隅っこで輝いてるようなサウンド。不可解な、とらえようのない魅力が詰まってます。
ダイテン –
初期の未発表曲やB-SIDEトラックを集めたのがこれ。ストイックな雰囲気の曲が多い。RADIOHEADのトム・E・ヨークが「REMの”DEAD LETTER OFFICE”を聞いて心から感動したんだ」と発言していることからも、当時から彼らがインスピレーション溢れるアーティストだったことが分かる。全てはここから始まった。
金魚鉢 –
R.E.M.の最もボヘミアン的な味が濃く出ている初期の名作Chronic townが聴けるだけでもファンにとっては絶対に手放せない一枚。Murmurほど洗練されていないながらも、力強くて情景的で解釈不能な不思議な世界が広がっており、スピード感もある。R.E.M.というバンドは最初から完成されて登場してきたのだと感じさせるのです。真のR.E.M.ファンは実は必ず持っている一枚であったりします。持っていない人は買いましょう
MR –
Classic and Distinctive REM.
I have not heard Dead Letter Office in I think over twenty years. It had been so long that I don’t even recall ever buying Dead Letter Office and honestly cannot say how I use to listen to it since I don’t recall buying it until recently. This is a great album of covers, presumed b-sides and songs that I guess just did not make the final cut for one of their first four REM albums with IRS records, but we’re good enough to share in this album released after Life’s Rich Pageant, but before Document.My favorite era for REM is the 1980s. I used to own all of their albums back in the day, but now I am in the process of purchasing them again and maybe completing my collection with the post Monster stuff. REM in their early years are truly distinctively Southern American funneled through early alternative rock in a way that U2 seems to have a distinctive Irish tone funneled through post-New Wave and alternative rock. Though very different bands, culturally I think their life experience and identity with their home is naturally stronger and distinctive in their early work. In grad school a Professor characterized Huckleberry Finn as the first truly uniquely American novel. What he meant was Twain’s voice could not be characterized as having been inspired by European Authors and was a product of his own sensibilities and experienced as an American storyteller. I think you could say the same for REM. If they got together and rose out of Brooklyn, New York instead of Athens, GA, they would not be the same band and the southern sensibility of these early songs at least as I see them as a guy who was born, raised and lives in Brooklyn. They’re roots are what made them unique and I appreciate that greatly especially when listening to Dead Letter Office. Thank you.
Charles M. Winnicki II –
~ Awesomeness ~
~ {“Great Customer Service”} ~ Fast Shipping, Produce Arrived in~tact (Not Broken) “Thank You” !!
amazonian65000 –
It Would Have Been Even More Killer, Sans Filler
I bought this mainly for the “Chronic Town” EP, which is excellent. “Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)” is one of my favorite REM tunes of all time. Having been familiar with the version of “Gardening at Night” from the collection “Eponymous,” the Chronic Town original came as a bit of a shock. The former is an alternate vocal take which is much more energetic and “live” sounding. The latter is more produced and Stipe’s vocal sounds almost like a whisper. I was initially disappointed, but the track has grown on me over repeated listening.The rest of the CD is mainly b-sides, outtakes and covers. I’m not a big fan of covers, but most are from obscure artists I’m not familiar with and sound like they could be REM originals. The more familiar songs, like a version of Aerosmith’s, “Toys in the Attic,” and an off-key rendition of Roger Miller’s “King of the Road,” are, at best, forgettable. Some of these could have easily been left off, easily making this a five star collection, because at 22 tracks, this disc runs rather long.This CD is worth it for Chronic Town, but there are also some pleasant surprises on here as well.I say, get it.
Stefano –
Ottimo!
Mi mancava l’originale di questo album. Per un appassionato dei R.E.M. da avere assolutamente, questo gruppo ha cambiato stile negli anni, l’album è particolare, alcuni brani sono eccezionali, altri meno entusiasmanti, ha bisogno di essere ascoltato un po’ di volte per essere apprezzato e capito, consiglio anche di studiare un poco la vita del gruppo in quel periodo. Consigliato sicuramente!
K. Hughes –
Think of it as “Chronic Town Plus”
I just found out this week (after purchasing) that this album was released 34 years ago to the week. I primarily bought to get “Chronic Town” in digital format, since I have the EP, but pleased to also get some new songs I didn’t have before.