With their new album Territory, Canadian powerpop band Two Hours Traffic have created a good record, but not necessarily worth two hours stuck in traffic
Once upon a time – before the advent of traffic management devices and the onset of the suburban sprawl – two hours’ traffic would have been a leisurely 45 minute drive. With the car unsurpassed in transport dominance, and the roads clogged full of punters mired in a never-ending journey, traffic moves at glacial pace – and indirectly proportion to aggregate level of driver frustration.
With their new album Territory, Canadian powerpop band Two Hours Traffic have created a good record, but not necessarily worth two hours stuck in traffic. At its peak, Territory threatens parity with the glory powerpop bands of yore – the opening track Noisemaker is all lush harmonies and golden pop melodies, the ideal soundtrack for a breezy sojourn along the glistening coastal routes in a shiny red convertible, while the title-track is as catchy as gastro in a childcare centre (but without any of the symptoms, thankfully).
Painted Halo has a dirty riff to die for, overlaid with a classic ‘70s Californian pop sensibility, Just Listen finds beauty and happiness in post-Raspberries Eric Carmen – with a dash of new wave – and Monster Closet is whimsy with a hint of John Lennon.
At the other end of the spectrum there’s a bunch of tracks that try hard, but don’t necessarily succeed – Wicked Side reminds us that 1983 had more misses than hits, Just Listen is the grating indulgent edge of west coast pop and Happiness Burns has a melody searching for presence in a sea of mushy vocals and over production. On the up side, the four bonus tracks – notably the razor sharp Jezebel and the spacey Nighthawks – are a lurid yellow, if not completely golden.
Like a journey stuck in traffic, there’s much to see in Territory – and enough of it’s worth capturing in perpetuity to make the journey worthwhile.
Barry Causby
