July 21 [10:00 EDT] -- Mark Eitzel and R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck are reportedly at it again.

The "San Francisco Chronicle" reports that Eitzel and Buck will spend this week in Seattle writing songs for their next album together.

The two previously teamed up to write and record Eitzel's solo effort, "West," which was released to critical praise, but little commercial success, earlier this year. The two then hit the road with another Buck project, Tuatara, that saw the two playing intimate dates across the U.S.

Buck's continued collaboration with Eitzel does not mean that R.E.M. has taken a back seat.

The "Chronicle" reports that the band was in San Francisco recently looking for a place to record their next album. The group also reportedly plans to tour this time out, and the "Chronicle" reports that Buck has asked Screaming Trees' Barrett Martin to join the band to provide "additional percussion" on the road.