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Two Hours Traffic - Territory
By Chris Dowbiggin
(09/25/09)

That’s right, PEI’s indie-power pop heroes are back with their follow-up to 2007’s stellar effort Little Jabs. And while they still pledge allegiance to their signature upbeat, euphoric east coast indie rock sound, there are hidden surprises within their new record Territory. Some pleasant, some questionable, but in a whole, the fine Islander lads in Two Hours Traffic produce a satisfying original piece of folk-tinged indie power-pop.

While the music included on Territory still provokes and induces feelings of homey, yet unique pop-rock, there are grey areas where themes prove to be a tad bit heavier than usual. (These guys have the aspect mastered down to a science.) The lyrics in a number of the songs tackle ideas and issues such as alcohol misuse ("Drop Alcohol") and questionable areas of religion and belief ("Sing A Little Hymn").

Also, as the album progresses, it seems to lose a bit of it’s energetic moments and relies more on east coast folk-rock stylings. A prime example is “Lost Boys”, featuring qualities reminicent of classic country.

However, much is to be expected, especially with Nova Scotia folk-rock guru Joel Plaskett continuously at the helm of the production. With that being said, Territory is still far from a drastic departure from THT’s past material and still features many well-loved original qualities that made THT who they are today.

The opener, “Noisemaker”, provides the listener with an unshakable boost of friendly adrenaline despite the contradicting lyric “Maybe I should explain, It’s just a tired refrain.” “Wicked side” is backed by a slow, uneven tempo, but promising in a progressive way, and ends up setting the background for the rest of the album. While the title track refers back to the opener, it provides the much-appreciated kick, and when combined produces a clear 1-2 punch.

So, in all, Territory is an album that takes no time to get used to. And even with some minor surprises, it is guarenteed to satisfy the die-hard THT fans we all know.

Related links:
+ Two Hours Traffic (website)
+ Two Hours Traffic (MySpace)


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Chris Dowbiggin always had a passion for music greater than anything imaginable. He's currently attending the Journalism program at Holland College in Charlottetown, PEI.