When I last spoke to Thomson he was in Austin, Texas in advance of the South by Southwest Festival (music portion: March 12-16), going that time-honored route of selling CDs from the trunk of his car, all in the name of putting asses in the seats and building an audience that appreciates Timecube's unique sound despite its lack of radio play and television time. Such is the life of the upstart artist. You might not see them on MTV's "TRL" anytime soon, but that also gives them the independence to create music, their way, without the encumbrances of developing radio-friendly hooks and the homogenization that soon follows.

Timecube was produced to the effect of "leaving you wanting more." When the Red Hot Chili Peppers had 28 songs to bring to market for Stadium Arcadium, they initially planned to produce four, 7-song albums, one every few months, to whet their appetites for the next one. In the end they settled on a double album with 14 songs each.

"Cats like the Chili Peppers can do that," Thomson explained, adding that Timecube's choice to go the more CDs-fewer songs route makes more sense for a band trying to build its audience. A seven-song EP feels like less of a commitment than would a 12 song LP, even if the lengths are roughly equal. Timecube gives curious music lovers a low-priced "taste" of their music that will make the average music listener more apt to invest in longer efforts in the future.

"Just a taste for now," Thomson says. Those interested in getting that taste should visit Timecube's MySpace page and contact the guys directly. Their website displays three tracks free of charge – including the popular "Zabat! Zabat!" and "Helmutt," recorded in 2003, which does not appear on the album.

But don't take my word for it. Check it out for yourself — you just might be the first one on your block to hear it.