COM LAG: 2PLUS2ISFIVE

Com Lag sounds very strained. This is an EP that was aimed at the Japanese. It got released in the UK and contains some B-Sides from the "Hail to the Thief" sessions. I love "Hail to the Thief", and Radiohead have made some amazing B-Sides but these ones are pretty below average. Remyxomatosis and Skttrbrain are definetly worth avoiding (though this is because i hate remixes), just listen to the original version on the studio album. Paperbag writer is a strange ode to the beatles early classic, but it is pretty dull. 2+2=5, however is very good. A very energetic and worthful addition to this EP, recorded live at Earl's Court. Radiohead's latest tour and Glastonbury performance is the best i've ever seen them and this is a good document of that. The rest of the tracks are interesting but all sound kind of strained to what Radiohead are usually capable of writing. For Collectors only.

The worst Radiohead gets, in my opinion, is forgettable -- and that's what some of the tracks on this EP are. It's been mentioned already that Paperbag Writer and the remixes of Hail To The Thief tracks are really unremarkable. I Am A Wicked Child is alright as is I Am Citizen Insane; but again, these are really skippable songs.

The EP is really solidified, however, by the remaining tracks. The live 2+2=5 is a really vital rendtions of one of the band's most powerful songs. But this isn't the only upshot of the EP. The live recording of the B-side Fog is remarkable -- it's a complete re-imagining of the song: just Thom on piano and singing in what was originally an electronic experimental piece. The result is a really beautiful little enigma of a song.

Also worthwhile is Gagging Order, with just guitar and Thom's vocals. The repetitive riffs roll along while Thom wails softly some really affecting lyrics. Definitely one of my favorites in Radiohead's catalog.

Though the remixes are grating (Myxomatosis without the stabbing bass?) and some of the more experimental originals are forced, the minimalist pieces on this record really do shine.

After Hail to the Thief, we could buy this album in stores, this is the last Radiohead material, the last studio album was HTTT, but this is the last EP, im expecting for theri new album, but well, this mini album has a rae mix of 10 songs, some are live songs, some B-Sides, and other are experimental songs , i mean something like a b-side of aong which isnt a b-side. Hail to the Thief is an album that i really love and enjoy a lot, and when i bougth this EP i thougth that it will be similar, but... NO The first song is the opening track of HTTT, 2+2=5 but here we can find a Live version, is good, i`d love to see them , this live song is quite good, some of the best parts of this EP, thedo you remember Myxomatosis?, the 12th track of HTTT, well the second song here is called Remyxomatosis,it is obviously a remix of that great song, the bass is specially good, but this version is completely hoooooorrible, it was my first deception, the next song is another different version of an HTT track, this time is I Will, one short and good track, here is I Will ( LA Version) , is not so different, good but not the best, next the B-Sides part, Paperbag Writer is a weird electronic song with Thom`s voice, i dont like it, that is not my favorite Radiohead , next I am a Wicked Child, i think this song sound like a little west song, and it has some good guitar sound, another simple track, some good moments but thats all, and next I am a Citizen Insane, it starts with a great electronic atmosphere, maybe repetitive, good song, as you can see this EP is electronic sided, maybe you will ove it , i dont know, its not my case, next is another HTTT song, another horrible remix now is the turn of Scatterbrain, here named Skttrbrain, i cannot say anymore, next Gagging Order is one of the best songs, it is noth a experimental electronic song anymore, it has the classic acoustic sound of Radiohead, i think the last part of this EP is the best (maybe the only one) , starting from this song, good guitar ,good voice, good sound, next another B-Side, Fog but here is a Live version, good song , piano is what we can hear here, and to finish this EP, Where Bluebirds Fly, i didnt know that song, i think it was released specially for this EP, it is a good song,it s short one, but very nice, with electronic sound again. Well after all these points, im going to give it only 2 stars, because i think it is only for fans, you wont find anything good if you are expecting some prog material.

This was originally released in Japan and Australia and then subsequently released in the UK and US a few months later. It mostly contains some interesting remixes, alternate versions and B-Sides recorded to support the singles from "Hail to the Chief" that were not available elsewhere before this. The live version of 2 + 2 = 5 is an amazing version and opens the EP with a lot of promise. Following this is a strange remix done by Christian Vogel of the song Myxomatosis. This is very electronic sounding and the vocals by Thom Yorke are made to sound very indifferent. Not bad actually, I find it interesting to hear how songs can be broken down and switched around to sound different, but this gives the song a more computerized feel, which I guess is about what you'd expect. The 3rd track is the Los Angeles version of "I Will". This is a very good version of the song that features the full band, where the album version was more stripped down. I think it was worth adding to this little collection of oddities, but it sounds strange coming in after the previous remix going from electronic music to traditional rock almost suddenly. Next up is a great song used as a B-side that would have been great on the album called "Paperbag Writer" and the next track is another great B-side called "I Am a Wicked Child".

Track 6 is another electronic track called "I am Citizen Insane" and it really doesn't do much for me. Next up is another remix this time of "Scatterbrain" done by Four Tet. Again we get an electronic vibe reminiscent of "Amnesia" but there are some interesting sound effects here. On the original Japanese version, there was some very annoying static noise that kept appearing on the track and these CDs were recalled, so if you have one, it's worth some money. You may have heard that static and thought it was part of the track, but it's a glitch. Track 8 is another great B-side returning back to the traditional rock sound and track 9 is a different version of the track "Fog" which was a B-side for "Knives Out" however this time it is done live and the track is stripped down to just Thom singing and playing piano. This is a beautiful version of this song. Last up is another spooky sounding electronic song called "Where Bluebirds Fly", another B-side. I don't think this has been remixed from the original b-side, but it sounds like something that could have been from "Amnesia".

The electronic tracks aren't too bad and are quite experimental, but don't seem to offer the depth and beauty of the organic tracks. The vocals on the electronic tracks also sound listless. This is not a bad EP, but other than the first track, it stays rather subdued throughout, which is not always a bad thing either. Anyway, even though I think it's a good EP, I believe the people that would be mostly interested in this are the collectors and the fans, thus I'm giving this one 2 stars. Interesting, but really nothing to get terribly excited about.