R.E.M. - In the Attic: Alternative Recordings 1985-1989 (Limited Edition) (1997)

From the start of their recording career, Athens, Georgia's finest have been a fertile source of cover tunes, non-album B-sides and alternate versions. This limited-edition collection compiles a baker's dozen of rarities and oddities, including the band's readings of Pylon's "Crazy," Aerosmith's "Toys in the Attic," the Floyd Cramer instrumental "Last Date," and the gospel number "Tired of Singing Trouble," plus a variety of alternate mixes and live versions. Rounding out the set are a pair of ramshackle acoustic numbers from the soundtrack of the documentary Athens GA, Inside Out, "Swan Swan H" and the Everly Brothers' "All I Have to Do Is Dream." Although a couple of tracks overlap the band's 1987 rarities package Dead Letter Office, In the Attic is a handy adjunct to R.E.M.'s album catalog. --Scott Schinder

1 Finest Worksong (Other Mix) 3:48
2 Driver 8 (Live) 3:18
3 Gardening At Night (Different Vocal Mix) 3:31
4 Swan Song H (From The Athens, GA-Inside Out Soundtrack) 2:42
5 Disturbance At The Heron House (Live) 3:25
6 Maps And Legends (Live) 3:14
7 Tired Of Singing Trouble (B-Side) 1:00
8 Just A Touch (Live In Studio) 2:38
9 Toys In The Attic (B-Side) 2:26
10 Dream (All I Have To Do) (From The Athens, GA-Inside Out Soundtrack) 2:40
11 The One I Love (Live) 7:19
12 Crazy (B-Side) 3:07
13 Can't Get There From Here (Radio Edit) 3:15
14 Last Date (Instrumental/B-Side) 2:13
15 Time After Time Etc. (Live Medley; Time After Time/Red Rain/So. Central Rain) 8:21