Dead Letter Office

A branch of the post office that deals with letters that fail to reach their destination. Every so often, you'll get one of those human interest stories on the evening news that tell the rousing tale of a 120 year old letter that finally reached its destination after being sorted out by the Dead Letter Office. This raises the question, though...what exactly was the DLO doing with the letter for the last 119 years, and where were these letters hiding? And why do these stories only seem to show up on the news when it's conveniently a very slow news night?

Compiled by Peter Buck some time around 1986-1987, and officially released in April 1987, this album compiles a whole bunch of R.E.M. b-sides, out-takes and cover version. Peter reckoned listening to the album should be like browsing through a junk shop; a reasonable analogy.

High points of the album include three wonderfully ragged Velvet Underground covers (There She Goes Again, Pale Blue Eyes, and Femme Fatale), Voice Of Harold, which features Michael Stipe singing the cover notes of an old gospel album over the instrumental track to Seven Chinese Brothers, the jolly Bandwagon, and a really fun cover of Aerosmith's Toys In The Attic.

The album comes complete with wittily self-deprecating cover notes from Peter (as well as a little self portrait), and the CD version usually includes R.E.M.'s first release for I.R.S., the Chronic Town EP. IMHO, Dead Letter Office is not just for R.E.M. completists, but a fun album in itself, not to mention pretty good value for money!

In New Zealand, misaddressed couriered packages are auctioned off. You can get all sorts of very weird items at these auctions. Ever wanted to buy 1000 Panadol tablets for $6.50?

Contact your local courier(s) and ask where the incorrectly addressed packages go. It's amazing to stop by every once in a while and pick up some pretty strange stuff.