Two Hours Traffic

Artist Information

Biography

“Territory” is the follow up to the Charlottetown band’s Polaris Prize nominated and internationally acclaimed sophomore album, “Little Jabs”. Once again produced by Joel Plaskett, Territory builds on the promise of Little Jabs as the band continues to write and record sunny pop gems for the heart and head. Territory, however also finds Two Hours Traffic discovering the shadows at the side of the road. Right from the get go this becomes apparent as the gold into lead alchemy of the rousing opener Noisemaker kicks in and by the time the title track tells its tale of disillusionment and betrayal you know you are settling in for a drive on the darker side. Indeed, songs such as Weightless One, Drop Alcohol, Wicked Side, and Lost Boys all explore the approaching dusk but just like the more hopeful tracks on the album (Happiness Burns, Sing A Little Hymn) they all lock into the close your eyes, sing along choruses and instantly memorable lyrics that have put Two Hours Traffic on the melodic map.

Initially conceived as a two-piece, lead singer Liam Corcoran and guitarist Alec O’Hanley recruited bassist Andrew MacDonald and drummer Derek Ellis while attending university in their hometown of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. After releasing their “April Storm” EP in 2003 a friendship was struck up with Halifax hero Joel Plaskett who offered to produce the band’s first proper album. They’ve been working together ever since. While their eponymous debut and their follow up “Isolator” EP were received warmly by critics, it wasn’t until 2007’s breakthrough “Little Jabs” that the world really took notice. Appearing on dozens of year-end best of lists, Little Jabs also garnered an ECMA for Best Pop Recording and was a finalist for the coveted Polaris Music Prize. Add to this, three coast to coast tours, appearances at festivals such as Hillside, CMJ and SXSW and shows across the Atlantic and you have one of the most visible and successful Canadian independent acts of the last two years.

The road is indeed calling once again and with the strength of song on their side, Two Hours Traffic will continue to drive through both the brightening dawn and the darkening dusk. Bringing their Territory to yours.

Instrumentation

liam corcoran - vocals, acoustic, keys
alec o'hanley - guitar, vocals, keys
andrew macdonald - vocals, bass
derek ellis - drums

Discography

The April Storm EP (Independent, 2003)
Two Hours Traffic (Fontana North, 2005)
Isolator EP (Fontana North, 2006)
Little Jabs (Bumstead/Universal 2007)
Territory (Bumstead/Fontana North 2009)

Links

• Two Hours Traffic Website
• MySpace

Audio

• Just Listen
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• Happiness Burns
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• Heroes of the Sidewalk
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• Stolen Earrings
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• Stuck for the Summer
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• New Love
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• Whenever We Finish
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• Jezebel
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• Nighthawks
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• Nighthawks
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• Noisemaker
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• Wicked Side
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• Weightless One
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• Painted Halo
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• Drop Alcohol
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• Monster Closet
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• Lost Boys
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• Sing A Little Hymn
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Lyrics

• Heroes Of The Sidewalk
• Territory

Video

Jezebel

Photo Gallery

Press

• Two Hours Traffic Book Canadian Tour, Set Sights on New Album [+ Show ]
  

  We haven't heard a whole lot from Two Hours Traffic lately, since the East Coast pop rock band's mos...We haven't heard a whole lot from Two Hours Traffic lately, since the East Coast pop rock band's most recent album, Territory, came out back in 2009. Now, the group have set their sights on the follow-up as they prepare to hit the road this spring.
  
  The schedule is relatively modest, with a total of nine shows, all in Canada's eastern half. After kicking things off in Atlantic Canada, Two Hours Traffic will eventually link up with Zeus for a few shows in Ontario. See the itinerary below.
  
  Once the trip is complete, the band will hit the studio with producer Darryl Neudorf, who has worked with the likes of Jim Bryson and the Weakerthans, Neko Case and the Sadies.
  
  This will be the band's first album with their new lineup. Guitarist Alec O'Hanley is no longer a member, while previous bassist Andrew MacDonald has switched over to guitar, making room for new four-stringer Nathan Gill.
  
  Tour dates:
  
  5/24 Fredericton, NB - Capital
  5/26 Moncton, NB - Tide and Boar
  6/1 Charlottetown, PE - Hunter's
  6/2 Halifax, NS - The Seahorse Tavern
  6/5 Ottawa, ON - Zaphod's
  6/6 Hamilton, ON - Casbah *
  6/7 Waterloo, ON - Starlight *
  6/8 London, ON - APK Live *
  6/9 Toronto, ON - Phoenix *
  
  * with Zeus

• Territory Review [+ Show ]
  

  Back when European settlers first arrived on what would become Canada's smallest province, the act o...Back when European settlers first arrived on what would become Canada's smallest province, the act of claiming one's territory was a
  back-breaking act of survival. Over the last few years, Two Hours Traffic has gone in the reverse direction to claim their territory:
  heading out into the vast musical wilderness of our big-ass country to stake their claim as the best young band in Canada.
  As that bit of semi-strained metaphor-ary indicates, THT's new album is called Territory, and if it doesn't put them at the top of that
  hypothetical "best young band" list, they're certainly in the conversation. I mean there are plenty of great bands in Canada, but how many
  are comprised of members as young as the fellas in THT, and have consistently produced such finely crafted songs? This shouldn't be a
  complete surprise, as the band has been under the tutelage of Joel Plaskett, a master of song craft himself, for a while now. Although Joel
  was back to produce Territory, credit must be given to Liam Corcoran, Alec O'Hanley, Andrew MacDonald, and Derek Ellis for
  delivering when the pressure was on. A Polaris short-list nomination in 2008 meant expectations were way up, and THT has come through
  in the clutch.
  After all my "best young band" talk, it seems kind of trite and obvious to say that THT's sound has matured, but I think it has. It says
  something that my favorite songs on the album are slower paced ones like Wicked Side, Just Listen, and Lost Boys rather than the more
  uptempo ones they are known for and that I would normally gravitate too. But never fear, there are still plenty of the uptempo, harmonyfilled
  rockers that THT fans will be expecting, and a looser, rockier feel has been added to songs like Happiness Burns, and that's a good
  thing.
  Peppy album opener Noisemaker is one of those rockers, akin to Little Jabs' Nighthawks, and it's a riff-heavy ode to those loud mouth
  scene crashers that bring everyone down. The afore-mentioned Wicked Side is simply a fantastic song - it's simple, yet really well written,
  and a bouncy bassline provides the backbone for an addictive track that brings in the handclaps at just the right time. This is easily one of
  my favorite songs from '09. The title track, on the other hand, is a perfect example of why THT are awesome: loud guitars, supremely
  singable hooks, and fantastic work from the rhythm section - I could listen to the drum fills alone from this song all day long.
  Weightless One is another keeper in the classic THT mold, with lighter than air harmonies telling the story of a directionless love interest.
  Another of my favorite songs on the album is a bit of a departure: Just Listen has a drum track that sounds somewhat like an 80's drum
  machine, but its clearly & cleverly written and has a chorus that soars. I've played this one a lot.
  Compared to what one might have heard from THT in the past, the latter portion of Territory is a change of pace, a little more subdued.
  The somewhat anti-booze anthem Drop Alcohol shows that the band can create a sing-along without loud, pacy riffs, and the rollicking
  campfire feel of Lost Boys makes it stand out somewhat for me. it might just be me, but the playful Sing A Little Hymn seems to have
  Plaskett fingerprints all over it, from the little Casio backbeat to the playful, metaphysical lyrics - it's the kind of thing Joel does better
  than most. This is a good attempt at it, but I'm not sure they nailed it.
  As I mentioned in my preview for this album, I've been on the THT bandwagon for a while now, and Territory has nothing to make me
  want to get off. If anything, I'm on the bandwagon gathering supplies to build some kind of shelter, a shack or lean-to perhaps, so I can
  bunker down for the long haul with THT. If you've never been on their bandwagon, have a listen to this album and then hop here with me
  so we can simply nod smugly when the "best of" and Polaris-like praise starts rolling in for this one.

• Territory Review [+ Show ]
  

  The Polaris Prize-nominated Little Jabs from 2007 was the last album by these spunky Canadians, an...The Polaris Prize-nominated Little Jabs from
  2007 was the last album by these spunky
  Canadians, and it contained a tightly coiled
  collection of guitar-pop hooks and songs about
  kissing. Territory, its follow-up, kicks off in a
  similar vein with the likeable “Noisemaker” and
  the title track, but Two Hours Traffic gradually
  loosens its grip until finally losing it. Territory
  sags in the middle amid tedious lyrical
  redundancies about communication (“Just
  Listen”), alcoholism (“Drop Alcohol”), and fear
  (“Monster Closet”). The tempo slows to a stroll,
  then to a crawl. The hooks are there, but there’s
  hardly enough meat for them to dig into. The
  obvious charm on display is unmoored and floats into the clouds like a
  child’s lost balloon. Little Jabs was no multilayered masterwork, but it was
  a heady rush: The record felt like the giddy Friday afternoon before an
  evening house party. Not only is Territory anything but that sweet party,
  it skips the entire weekend.

• Little Jabs Review [+ Show ]
  

  Edmonton Journal ALBUM: LITTLE JABS Artist: Two Hours Traffic Label: Bumstead Rating 5 sta...Edmonton Journal
  ALBUM: LITTLE JABS
  
  Artist: Two Hours Traffic
  
  Label: Bumstead
  
  Rating 5 stars
  
  Review: In most cases, I'd be suspicious of a band that includes four tracks from previous albums on a new disc, but not in this case. All the tracks, both the previously released and unreleased, are just plain great. Stuck For The Summer and Jezebel were two of the best songs of 2006 (they were on the band's Isolator EP), and Heroes Of The Sidewalk is an early Two Hours Traffic favourite. They're all perfect examples of what makes Maritime-pop so great. While their sound continues to evolve, at times veering in the direction of Elliott Brood, especially on the rural-pop Sure Can Start, it never moves in the wrong direction. The best new track on the disc is Stolen Earrings, which contains this sublime lyrical gem, delivered perfectly: "You should wear / that pair of earrings that you stole / you've got a fiery soul." Delicious. If there's any justice in the world, these guys will be the next Sloan. Best album I've heard so far this year.
  
  Iain Ilich

• Little Jabs Review [+ Show ]
  

  Chromewaves.net Two Hours Traffic / Little Jabs (Bumstead) I don't actually believe there exist ...Chromewaves.net
  Two Hours Traffic / Little Jabs (Bumstead)
  
  I don't actually believe there exist enough vehicles in Charlottetown, PEI to create traffic dense enough to delay anyone for two hours. And despite their name, Two Hours Traffic don't offer much evidence that they know first-hand the tedium of gridlock, what with having turned out a record chock full of top-down, joyriding, sing-along power-pop goodness such as Little Jabs, their second album. Produced by Joel Plaskett, a man who knows a thing or two about pop songs, Jabs is chock full of tight, janglesome and hooktacular anthems to girls and sunshine, it's infused with a sense of wide-eyed youth that makes me nostalgic for the long-gone days when I actually had Summer vacations. Little Jabs is out on Tuesday and the band will celebrate with a free show at the Horseshoe that night. They're also playing the Hillside Festival on Saturday at 2PM.

• Little Jabs Review [+ Show ]
  

  National Post LITTLE JABS, TWO HOURS TRAFFIC There's something about the Maritimes --is it the sal...National Post
  LITTLE JABS, TWO HOURS TRAFFIC
  There's something about the Maritimes --is it the salty air? the great pizza? -- that makes the region consistently pump out great summertime pop records. Two Hours Traffic grabs the baton and scissor kicks its way through one of the catchiest records of the year. Produced by Joel Plaskett, another East Coaster with a penchant for a hook.

• Little Jabs Review [+ Show ]
  

  I Heart Music June 21st This is song after song after song of catchy, upbeat pop songs, the kind...I Heart Music
  June 21st
  
  This is song after song after song of catchy, upbeat pop songs, the kind that sound perfect when you're blasting them from a car radio with the windows down, or when you're sitting on a beach soaking up rays, or when you're enjoying a relaxing long weekend in the country. Eleven songs, eleven anthems; East Coast-flavoured pop doesn't get any better than this, and I say that as someone who's not even a huge fan of that sound. But one listen to tracks like "Jezebel" or "Backseat Sweetheart", and I'm already trying to figure out how high in the Top 10 this album will go when I sit down in six months to figure out my favourite albums of 2007. Little Jabs is a great album, and regardless of your feelings towards Sloan, Joel Plaskett and their ilk, if you like catchy pop, you owe it to yourself to check this out.

• Two Hours Traffic @ Horseshoe Tavern for Canadian Music Week [+ Show ]
  

  March 12, 2007 Grade: 89 Comment:Two Hours Traffic's catchy hook-laden songs are bound to find...March 12, 2007
  
  Grade: 89
  
  Comment:Two Hours Traffic's catchy hook-laden songs are bound to find a very comfortable niche both out east and across the country. They're young, surrounded by excellent musicians (Plaskett, Wintersleep, In-Flight Safety) and have nowhere to go but up.
  
  Music Analysis: Sweet, toe-tapping melodies combined with their blase approach and surprisingly interesting songs make the band intriguing. They haven't quite hit it just yet, but they're getting closer and it'll happen soon.
  
  Other Skills And Areas Of Interest: It definitely helps when your set starts off when the owner of the venue you're playing at introduces you, shamelessly singing your praises. Only one act got such a brown-nosed introduction, which was so flattering it was almost embarrassing. Imagine, being 21 and having the owner of the Horseshoe Tavern call your band the next big thing at Canadian Music Week to a bunch of industry types. Now imagine backing it up. After an impossible build, Two Hours Traffic fully exceeded our expectations.

• Two Hours Traffic album review [+ Show ]
  

  THE COAST - JUNE 23, 2005 Two Hours Traffic Two Hours Traffic (maple) The Charlottetown fourso...THE COAST - JUNE 23, 2005
  Two Hours Traffic
  Two Hours Traffic
  (maple)
  
  The Charlottetown foursome wastes little time establishing its signature: twin guitars, imaginatively tuned, at a healthy volume (without beating the listener into a vegetative state), garnishing songs that run three minutes or less. If snappy top-40 ever comes back, Two Hours Traffic is fluent in that language. The sure hand of Joel Plaskett confirms his prescience as a producer, while Plaskett’s guitar has something to do with “Girl Up the Stairs” being the catchiest track of all. The lyric “I wonder if there’s something there” is an everyday thought that sounds fresh here. Lead singer Liam Corcoran evokes Ron Sexsmith in the sensitive moments, and you may hear the influence of The La’s or Television — if that isn’t too ancient for a salvo that makes you feel 18 again.
  
  Top Albums of 2005
  
  —Doug Taylor

• Two Hours Traffic album review [+ Show ]
  

  TWO HOURS TRAFFIC 4 stars Hailing from Charlottetown, PEI, the four 19-year-old chemistry studen...TWO HOURS TRAFFIC
  4 stars
  
  Hailing from Charlottetown, PEI, the four 19-year-old chemistry students that make up Two Hours Traffic don’t just prove that science kids can make great art, but that they’re going to be the ones to bring back that long-missed Maritime pop sound.
  
  Produced by former-Thrush Hermit Joel Plaskett, this is the album that should have saved his band from dissolving years ago, which means, you can hear the confidence with which he handles his roles as both arranger and producer, cultivating a classic sound that fits somewhere between Big Star and The Shins. In fact, everything about this group’s self-titled debut CD is a perfectly mediated blend of many musical extremes. The writing is crisp and unfettered by standard rock affectations, while the pop hooks only work to counteract Liam Corcoran’s raspy yet smoothly textured vocal melodies. Instantly infectious songs, like "I Feel Naked Without my Cellphone," and "Heroes of the Sidewalk" kick start the album, setting a standard that is never lost throughout the entirety of the collection of 12 tracks. "Better Sorry than Safe," the anthem Sloan’s been trying to write for the past five years, is at once the most instantaneously satisfying song in the collection, as well as proof of a talented band that will be clearly be around for many years to come. Two Hours Traffic is a classy summer rock record and a breath of fresh air in a Canadian music industry that is becoming increasingly homogenous.

Setlist

stuck for the summer
jezebel
better sorry than safe
purple eyes / yellow light
new love
no advances
heatseeker
sure can start
heroes of the sidewalk
stolen earrings
nighthawks

[we can play up to an hour and fifteen minutes]

Basic Requirements

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