Read Our Reviews and Interviews
We don't want you to just take our word for it so we have developed this section to let other peoples' opinions of us be heard. Most of the reviews come from compilation appearances as well as our past demo cassettes.
Check out our interview from the Washington City Paper in the Pop Quiz section. It was a really fun interview.
This review/interview by Dianne Lum was printed in Banned Thoughts:
"Named after an exhibit at the Postal Museum in D.C., the duo of Jennifer Barnes and John Lawson have combined their musical talents to produce music that is not only chilling but mysterious. The two had been making music for several years before the band formed in 1993 when a Macintosh and music software was added to the mix. The enchanting musical arrangment, coupled with Jennifer's off-key, haunting vocals, produces a sound that is "unsettling and chaotic". Dead Letter Office produces some of the most "evil" music I have ever heard, making the average Halloween soundtrack seem like child's play. The demonic spoof of the Bee Gee's "Stayin' Alive" is a true treat to the ear. However, many feel that computers have no place in music. Jennifer has a different view on the subject. "We think that it's inevitable that computer technology is changing the way we make music because it's changing most everything in our lives. It certainly has advantages because we can do things that we never would have dreamed of before. On the other hand, we think that some people will try to use the technology for short cuts and wind up with very low quality music. Technology can augment creativity but it can't replace creativity."
Here are some of the reviews we have received from the various zines and e-zines that support the underground community.
"Dead Letter Office's 'Stitch'-full of creepy minor chords and shifting time signatures that makes no attempt whatsoever to make the listener feel comfortable." Beats E-Zine
"Dead Letter Office once again turns in a track of instrumental effluvia...with dreamy female vox overlaid as something like a calliope drones in the background and other odd sounds come and go..." -Dead Angel
...this would be good backing music for Godzilla to go looking for cities to demolish. Music for the sonic glutton..." -Gajoob
"Incorporationing live guitars, bass, and synthesized drums and keyboards, Dead Letter Office creates a dark, dissonant soundscape...Jennifer Barnes has a beautiful voice...John Lawson is also a talented bass player...Dead Letter Office has some interesting things happening in their music." -Poison Apple
"Excitingly off-kilter constructions jet this synth and program based pop experiment out into space. Plodding rhythmic kick and plodding programmed drums with Jennifer's deadpan delivery set mood as elements swirl, clash, challenge acceptable models." -Mole Magazine
"Orchestral improv?...they've a strong sense of the 'movement' necessary to promote a full-bodied feeling of mystery and ancient drudgeries." -Improvajazzation Nation
"Blending found sounds over a slow, churning bass/snare beat, DLO produces soundscrapes reminiscent of old Nocturnal Emmisions, with a Chris'n Cosey-ish voice meandering through it all."-Opus Focus
"Ghastly waves of feedback, crooning vocals, and caophony of the most extreme nature ripple through my speakers as I digest the music." -Sonic Boom
"Dead Letter Office is a promising two person outfit from Maryland that specializes in a sort of electronic music experiment. Their demo consists of four noise-wrapped melodies that are different, to say the least." -Wormgear
"Spooky and chaotic describes Dead Letter Office, who sound like they came off a haunted house soundtrack complete with creaky doors." -Banned Thought vol 2 #10
We would also like to thank the following stations for broadcasting our music:
KUCI 88.9 FM in Irvine, CA Check it out
CKMS-FM 100.3 in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
WSPN 91.1 FM in Saratoga Springs, NY
Cyberage internet broadcasts--much love Tommy T!
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Email: dlo444@aol.com
