Sep. 11, 2007 - Issue #621: Sex in The City 07
Two Hours Traffic’s Little Jabs make big noise
“You just got me out of a big long meeting about grants, SoundScan sheets, road costs—all that stuff that sucks but is necessary,” he sighs. “But I shouldn’t complain. It’s better than sitting in a cubicle or something. I mean, it’s great to do this—travelling around, getting your food paid for, recording—it must be up there with one of the most rewarding experiences. Seeing the crowd response; seeing them go ballistic over something you toiled over alone in your bedroom—that’s pretty neat.”
O’Hanley and his bandmates are at the forefront of an emerging college rock revival. The east coast seems to favour the genre, having sustained it well into the ‘90s with solid, slightly arty power pop coming out of post-secondary havens like Halifax. Although Two Hours Traffic shares that stretch of oceanfront and officially came together in university—O’Hanley played with vocalist/guitarist Liam Corcoran in high school—the band comes from a smaller, less developed scene.
“There wasn’t much in PEI when we started, but the community’s coming along,” O’Hanley explains. “There are many good bands now that’ll break out in a year or two, like Smothered in Hugs—my favourite now. We even started a label—well, more like a collective—called Collagen Rock. Charlottetown did have one big band in the ‘80s, though: Haywire.”
A moment of silence.
“‘Black and Blue’?” he adds helpfully. No recognition sparked, he concludes, “Maybe it was an east coast thing.” Two Hours Traffic hopefully won’t share the fate of its hair band of brothers. Technology shifted the music business to a point where even populist outfits start out indie these days, building a network of support beyond their home region through online word-of-mouth before putting in touring time to win additional hearts and ears. Having conquered its part of the world—netting East Coast Award nominations and filling decent-sized venues—Two Hours Traffic is heading westward.
“We should’ve made it out to see you earlier,” O’Hanley apologizes. “We want to play for you prairie people.”
They can be forgiven—it’s been a busy five years since Corcoran and O’Hanley picked up drummer Derek Ellis and bassist Andrew MacDonald. After handing the first EP, April Storm, to Haligonian former college rocker Joel Plaskett at a show, he became the band’s champion and producer, helming 2005’s self-titled full-length, last year’s Isolator EP and the recent Little Jabs.
“The title is meant to be about that point in a relationship where you’re more and more curt with one another,” he says of this latest release. “And in song, it’s meant to be little blasts—jabs—in these three-minute pop songs.”
Halifax songwriter Al Tuck offered his own characteristically absurdist, affectionate poke after seeing the group’s sweat-drenched show. O’Hanley laughs, “Al said, ‘You guys will go really far—you’re all the same height.’” V
?Sat, Sept 15 (8 pm)
Two Hours Traffic
With The Dudes, Team Captain
Starlite Room, $12 advance, $15 at door
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