(photo: Scott Munn)

From yesterday’s Plaskett-penned Three to today’s Plaskett-produced Territory, Atlantic Canada is being well represented this week on QBiM.  Two Hours Traffic are back!  Yeeee-Ha!

It took me months to come around to their sophomore LP Little Jabs, but when I did, Two Hours Traffic stole my heart the way no easterners had since Sloan in ‘94.  It was pure, unadulterated pop classicism at its best.  Joel Plaskett’s pearly production was spot-on, allowing the band to rock out without losing their innate melodic sense.

On the follow up matters get a bit more tense, a bit darker, maybe more mature, but Two Hours Traffic never abandon the style and percision that made Little Jabs such a power-house.  The haunting “Just Listen” is a very grown up raking over the coals from one man to another man-boy.  The title track’s tale of disillusionment and betrayal is balanced by the song’s more sunny musical disposition, as are other moments across tight 11-song album (it clocks in at a break-neck 35:51).  No frills, yes, but plenty of thrills.  Two Hours Traffic know how to make every note count, and they waste nary a one.

“Monster Closet” is one of my favourite tracks on this disc, seducing me with its scatter-shot piano plunks and sleigh bell jingle jangle.  I could find something similar to say about any of the songs on Territory, which is actually saying a lot about the whole album.  A lot was made of their producer’s second nomination for this year’s Polaris Prize, and I’d bet my bottom loonie that come next summer, Two Hours Traffic will find themselves on one (if not both) of Polaris’ lists again.  They’re sure to make a home on many a year-end list before that.

Territory will be out September 8, and that day the boys will drop by the CBC Radio 3 studio’s to chat with Grant Lawrence while he plays each track from the album.  Catch the show at 2:30 pm ET/11:30 am PT.  It’s all part of the X3 Artist of the Month project, brought to you by exclaim.ca, Aux, and CBC Radio 3.

MP3: Two Hours Traffic “Territory”
Myspace:  Two Hours Traffic
Twitter: Two Hours Traffic