R.E.M. finish work on 15th album

R.E.M. have finished recording their 15th album in Berlin's famous Hansa Studios.

The band plan to mix the CD in the autumn, folllowed by its release in Spring 2011. The German studios were where U2 recorded Achtung Baby and David Bowie performed 'Low', 'Heroes' and 'Lodger'.

The group's manager Bertis Downs said: "I will not report on the sound or the dimension of the recordings so far, to my ears it all sounds like quite a wonderful set of songs."

Guitarist Peter Buck said his work with Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody influenced the album.

He told the BBC: "There's at least one piece of music where I kind of thought, 'This is something Gary would like, this is something he might write,' and I threw it out there, and I think it'll be on the next record."