Radiohead Album: “Com Lag (2plus2isfive)”

Radiohead is not shy about issuing its B-sides and other assorted "left-overs". "My Iron Lung" is one of the best examples, "Airbag/How Am I Driving" is another. Not merely a single or an EP, but not quite yet an album's worth of music, these releases are hard to classify. After the release of "Hail to the Thief", Radiohead issued another such "maxi-EP", but only for the Japanese market, namely "Com Lag"

"Com Lag" (10 tracks, 36 min.) was originally released in 2004 in Japan, but finally re-released for wider audiences in 2007. This compilation is a hotch-potch of (then) unreleased tracks, B-sides, live tracks and remixes, and so not surprisingly this is all over the place. It starts off very strongly with a live version of "2+2=5" (from London's Earl Court in November '03). The outstanding instrumental "I Am Citizen Insane" reminds me musically of the Thom Yorke solo album "The Eraser". Other highlights for me are "Paperbag Writer" (which is the best track on here for me personally), "Gagging Order" (just Thom Yorke and acoustic guitar), "Fog (Again") (just Thom and piano; recorded live) ; "I Am a Wicked Child" and the closer "Where Bluebirds Fly". I can do without the 2 remixed HTTT tracks: a nervous remix of "Myxomatosis", and a slightly better remix of "Scatterbrain".

In the end, "Com Lag" reflects both the scattered sense of these types of grab-all compilations and the scattered sense of the Hail to the Thief album. However, if you are a Radiohead fan, you will cherish this release. (Last but not least, I stumbled upon this recently while browsing in the used CD bin at my local indie-record store, and picked this up for only $7.99!)

I was a little doubting, when i bought this, but then i realized. Its a Radiohead EP. Its cheap (125 danish crowns. About 20 bucks, i think). And its from Japan!

I havent regret it at all. Its really good! Heres a brief:

2+2=5.(Live) Really great live performance! Almost better than the studio version!

Remyxomatosis.(Cristian Vogel RMX) A pretty weak track. I dont think that you can make Myxomatosis better than it already is on the HTTT album.

I Will.(L.A. Version) A good Version of the song, less sad than on the album.

Paperbag Writer. This is probably my favorite track on the album. Its awesome. Really scary with the Violins! Great track.

I am a Wicked Child. Another track that could have been on the HTTT album.

I am Citizen Insane. an instrumental track. I doesnt really have much to it.

Skttrbrain.(Four Tet RMX) As with Myxomatosis i dont think the remix makes the song better. But its still okay.

Gagging Order. A nice quiet track, with a good guitar riff.

Fog.(Again)(Live) Solo by Thom Yorke. A very good song about baby alligators in sewers

Where Bluebirds Fly. I dont like this one. Its just...not good.

Overall this is an exciting album that Radiohead fans must have!

This is a great collection of B-sides from HTTT, but the defects are many, and i heard its getting recalled.

This cd is okay. It really has a sense of incompleteness like the track order isn't as solid as a full length compilation. But it has some interesting new tracks like sktterbrain, gagging order, and where bluebirds fly which kinda resembles true love waits.

i like for its diversity, and complex style i have come to expect from these guys. plus i was in japan for a year and some of these where played while eating m#chr00m$, hallucinating up and down the coast of okinawa. which i would not recommend, as these tracks are very trippy, slippery,and down right sad. got to lovem...5 stars hit me up killerblack