For many, the tracklist for The Subcons' 2001 release Time Has Come can be rather confusing. Comprised of a total of twenty-four tracks, the first five are silent as are tracks nineteen through twenty-three. It may seem like a clever gimmick, but the band's decision of how many tracks to have on the album, as well as which tracks would contain music, were all consciously thought out. The twenty-four tracks represent a full day with tracks six through eighteen representing those hours of the day with sunlight (6am-6pm). I don't know if I would have been able to figure that all out myself, but the band's website, www.thesubcons.com holds a lot of the answers to the album.
The flash portion of The Subcons' website designed specifically for the album is a rather interesting experience explaining the group's desire to call Time Has Come a "webalbum". It takes a while for it to load, but it is well worth it as the experience is rather interesting. After the page loads, you are presented with a selection of characters to choose from including Mr. Memorycatcher (the narrator), Mr. Songwriter (the hero), and Cindy Turling (the girl). Upon selection of a character you select one of the numbered spheres, which represent the tracks, to listen to a portion of the song and watch a video featuring interactions between the characters or download a full MP3 of the song.
Normally I wouldn't discuss a band's website so much in a review, but with The Subcons' setup, it really allows any visitor to explore the album fully on their own in a more in-depth way than I can really explain. For those that aren't yet convinced that it's something worth checking out, let me see what I can come up with.
Released back in 2001, The Subcons' Time Has Come is a primarily lowkey collection of songs performed by the band's two members Fletcher Foti (guitars/vocals/keys) and Richard Bruno (vocals/bass). Foti and Bruno's compositions are performed with a genuine playfulness that helps the songs convey a great sense of purity and honesty that complements the album's theme of innocent childhood love.
The songs on Time Has Come easily capture interest with their infectious melodies that will have you humming at unexpected moments. The primarily acoustic-based album maintains variety with its use of a laugh track and other samples ("Head for Home") and the juxtaposition of lo-fi sounds with cleaner sounding segments ("Making Up the Rules"). The songs may not break any new ground but are still very enjoyable and when combined with the website provide a unique experience.