COM LAG (2plus2isfive)

COM LAG (2plus2isfive)
EP by Radiohead
Released	24 March 2004
Recorded	September 2002 – February 2003, 26 November 2003
Genre	Experimental rock
Length	36:21
Label	Toshiba-EMI
Producer	Nigel Godrich, Radiohead
Radiohead chronology
Airbag / How Am I Driving? (1998) COM LAG (2plus2isfive) (2004)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Pitchfork Media	[2]

COM LAG (2plus2isfive) is the sixth extended play (EP) by English rock group Radiohead, released in March 2004 in Japan and Australia. It is a compilation that collects many of the B-sides from the singles released in support of their 2003 album Hail to the Thief, also including remixes by Cristian Vogel and Four Tet.

Release

The EP was first released in Japan and Australia on 24 March 2004, followed with a release in Canada on 13 April 2004 and finally released in the United Kingdom on 16 April 2007^[3][4] and in the United States on 8 May 2007.^[5][6][7] This album has been released with the Copy Control protection system in some regions.

The original Japanese pressings of the EP had a mastering error on the seventh track "Skttrbrain", which caused loud static to be heard in the left channel four times throughout the song.^[8] The EP was recalled by EMI/Toshiba, and the error was fixed in later releases.^[9]

Cover art

The speech bubble on the cover says "はい、チーズ。" ("Hai, chiizu."), akin to the English phrase "say cheese". The quote on the back cover of the album "I travelled all over the world. I stayed in the best hotels, visited the best beaches and I had access to beautiful women, champagne and caviar. No, I don't regret a minute of it." is from the spy John Symonds.

In an interview with the Radiohead fansite ateaseweb.com, artist Stanley Donwood, who has designed all artwork for the group since 1994, said of the cover: "We added a Dutch influence by imagining a range of Delftware that featured despotic sperm monsters and genetically modified bears. Also, the packaging will have a very shiny varnish. Like a glaze. I would like to make an entire range: tea pot, gravy boat, etc.- more tea, vicar?"^[10]

Track listing

All music composed by Radiohead.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"2+2=5" (live at Earls Court, London, 26/11/03)	3:34
2.	"Remyxomatosis" (Cristian Vogel RMX)	5:08
3.	"I Will" (Los Angeles version)	2:13
4.	"Paperbag Writer"	3:58
5.	"I Am a Wicked Child"	3:05
6.	"I Am Citizen Insane"	3:32
7.	"Skttrbrain" (Four Tet RMX)	4:26
8.	"Gagging Order"	3:35
9.	"Fog (Again)" (live)	2:19
10.	"Where Bluebirds Fly"	4:23

Omitted is the seven-minute demo version of "There There", which appears on the first "2+2=5" single.

"I Will"

"I Will (Los Angeles version)" is an alternative version of the album track "I Will" and was released on the second "2+2=5" CD single. Whereas the album version features just Thom Yorke on the guitar and vocals, the Los Angeles version is a full band track, recorded during the two week session at Ocean Way studios in Los Angeles where most of the tracks that made up Hail to the Thief were recorded. The album version was recorded at a later date in Radiohead's studio in Oxfordshire. The album version runs to 1:59, while this version runs to 2:11.

"Fog (Again)"

"Fog (Again)" is a short acoustic song (2:19), featuring Thom Yorke on vocals and piano. This version was recorded at an acoustic set, widely known as 'Le Reservoir', which Yorke and Jonny Greenwood did for the French-German TV station Arte. It was also featured in a third season episode of The O.C.. The original "Fog" appeared on 2001 single "Knives Out", in a 4/4 rather than 6/8 time signature, and as a mainly bass and percussion-driven song, in a style in keeping with their work of the Kid A/Amnesiac period.

The original version of the song, which runs 4:03 in length, features in the animated film adaptation of Philip K. Dick's A Scanner Darkly, along with other Radiohead songs, the B-side "The Amazing Sounds of Orgy" and "Skttrbrain (Four Tet RMX)". "Black Swan", from frontman Thom Yorke's album The Eraser, is also featured in the film, which was released in July 2006.^[11]

Personnel

• Radiohead – Producer
• Nigel Godrich – Producer, Engineer
• Graeme Stewart – Engineer
• Darrell Thorp – Engineer
• Stanley Donwood – Design
• Cristian Vogel – Remixing
• Four Tet – Remixing

References

1. ^ Allmusic review
2. ^ Pitchfork Media review
3. ^ "Radiohead post update on new album". muse.ie. 2007-04-24. http://www.muse.ie/music-ireland-music_news-international_news/radiohead-post-update-on-new-album/spId/249B90A9-9906-D490-844FD94E8F7298F5.html. Retrieved 2009-06-05. 
4. ^ "Com Lag (2Plus2IsFive) EP set for re-release". ateaseweb.com. 2007-04-12. http://www.ateaseweb.com/2007/04/12/com-lag-2plus2isfive-ep-set-for-re-release/. Retrieved 2009-06-05. 
5. ^ Chammas, Joe (2007-04-18). "Radiohead Reissue 'Com Lag (2+2=5)' EP". soulshine.ca. http://www.soulshine.ca/news/newsarticle.php?nid=4382. Retrieved 2009-06-05. 
6. ^ Mason, Taylor (2007-04-16). "Radiohead Re-Release". CMJ.com. http://prod1.cmj.com/articles/display_article.php?id=35047266. Retrieved 2009-06-05. 
7. ^ "For The Record: Quick News On Outkast, David Banner, Radiohead, Joey McIntyre, Metallica, Ruben Studdard & More". MTV. 2004-02-11. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1484971/20040211/outkast.jhtml. Retrieved 2009-06-05. 
8. ^ Ott, Chris (2004-04-24). "Radiohead Com Lag EP Album review". pitchfork.com. http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/21231-com-lag-ep?artist_title=21231-com-lag-ep. Retrieved 2009-06-24. 
9. ^ "UPDATED: Com Lag Recall After All?". greenplastic.com. 2004-04-12. http://www.greenplastic.com/news/archives/2004/04/updated-com-lag.php. Retrieved 2009-06-05. 
10. ^ "Stanley: Com Lag Art Legit, New RH.com Coming Soon". ateaseweb.com. http://www.ateaseweb.com/2004/03/02/stanley-confirms-artwork-new-rhcom-in-the-making/. Retrieved 2009-06-05. 
11. ^ "A Scanner Darkly - advance screening". ateaseweb.com. 2006-07-07. http://www.ateaseweb.com/2006/07/07/a-scanner-darkly-advance-screening/. Retrieved 2009-06-05.