Radiohead - Com Lag 225 (11 tracks) +Album Reviews

Good Songs Good Value

Christopher Martin | 05/29/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Live tracks are nice. I don't think they add much to the songs like some of the live recordings on "I Might be Wrong" but their still nice

Remixes are fine. Some really different renditioning of some Hail to the Thief songs. One is even by Four Tet. That's neat.

B-sides is the reason to purchase this though. If you don't want to pay an absurd amount for expensive B-side CD's (which why the hell would you) then this alone makes a worth while purchase. I really like Fog (again), Citizen Insane, and Where Blue Birds Fly (not a Somewhere Over the Rainbow cover, more of an ambient electronic mass of bleeps and bloops. Apex Twin-esque) This makes the disc alone worth the fifteen dollars.

Not to mention the album art on the inside is actually really clever and funny. And I guess there's a live video? Neat? If you watch videos off of Cd's (Yes all three of you) then there is one.

I can't whole heartedly give this a 5 seeing as though in some form of another all these songs have been previously released (including the remixes); but that aside, buy this, especially if you haven't heard these songs before."

A very good EP

Rasmus | Copenhagen, Denmark | 12/18/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"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!"

4.5 actually. Not a perfect album, but damn close

omar r. | Ontario, Canada | 07/04/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This CD takes all the best b-sides from Hail To The Thief singles. The worst song on this album has to be 'Remyxomatosis', which is just...wrong. Not all of the other versions of HTTT are mistakes though. I personally prefer the live '2+2=5', the Los Angeles version of 'I Will', and the 'Scatterbrain' remix over the album versions. The "You have not been paying attention" part of '2+2=5' is done with all the energy that the album version should've had. The b-sides 'I Am A Wicked Child', and 'I Am Citizen Insane' are probably both equal, but the latter may be a bit repetitive for some. 'Paperbag Writer' definitely takes some getting used to, and even once you're used to it you probably won't like it much. It's really eerie sounding. 'Gagging Order' and the live version of 'Fog (Again)' are both beautiful, sad songs. They make this EP worth it for me. I always stop the CD before 'Where Bluebirds Fly' because it's just messed up. It starts with a click beat then comes in with what sounds like cluster chords on some weird synth thing, and then has strings that come in over top of the frenzy, except it's slower and seems out of place. It definitely creates the feeling of bluebirds though.Overall, I actually like this more than HTTT. If you do plan on getting this, I suggest that you don't buy it on Amazon, because I bought it for $13 canadian, and I've seen it in other stores for a max of $19 canadian."

4.5 Stars... a 'must-have' for any Radiohead fan

Paul Allaer | Cincinnati | 03/01/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"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!)"

If you come across it......pick it up

Demetrius A. Armstrong | Huntington, WV USA | 08/10/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Com Lag (2+2=5) is a rich stream of songs meant for Radiohead's core audience. The mere fact that it's not being released domestically (in America) is in itself a marketing technique to make the album seem like something special to fans. The only reason this collection succeeds is because of Radiohead simply and plainly being an exceptional band. While the songs are half heartedly collected and sequenced (or that's how it feels), the quality of everything here makes the album worth owning. If you don't already own the live version of "2+2=5", the b-sides "Paperbag Writer", and "Gagging Order" and the worthwhile remixes of songs taken from the "Hail to The Thief" cycle, and you don't mind spending thirty five bucks for one album's worth of material, then this is highly recommended. Personally I don't know if I would have coughed up that kind of cash for this even though I consider myself a healthy Radiohead fan. Luckily for me I have a reliable friend that works at a record shop."

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