Chronic Town is an EP released by the American band R.E.M. in 1982 for I.R.S. Records. Chronic Town is the first illustration of R.E.M.'s signature musical style: jangling guitars, chords played in arpeggio, murmured vocals, and lyrics that completely avoid the standard topics of popular music - love and relationships. The band was unhappy with the sound of the record when it was released, although fans and critics hailed it as a great achievement. As a result of the critical appraisal, I.R.S. gave R.E.M. the green light to record their debut album, Murmur, which would be released in 1983.
The album's cover shows a gargoyle in blue tones. The back cover shows a photo of the band members, also in blue tones. The EP's title comes from a line in "Carnival of Sorts".
In 1987, Chronic Town was added to the CD edition of the rarities compilation album, Dead Letter Office, its only current source of availability on CD, it is however released in LP format, and cassette format.
