You would expect any band to feel some anxiety after its first major album garners it a place on the Polaris Prize shortlist and its sophomore effort is rewarded with an hour - and -a - half, track - by - track discussion on its release date with Grant Lawrence on CBC Radio 3.
But not Two Hours Traffic.

“There might be a bit more anticipation for this record,” guitarist and vocalist Alec O’Hanley said. “I think people expect something from us – they’re not going to cut us any slack.”

Released in stores last week, Territory is a chance for Two Hours Traffic to try something different after the critically-acclaimed and hook-driven Little Jabs.

“I think we’ve branched out,” O’Hanley said. “This record also does sunshiny pop, but I feel we’ve … waded into murky waters.”

Describing himself and the rest of the band – lead vocalist Liam Corcoran, bassist Andrew MacDonald and drummer Derek Ellis – as “thoughtful scientists,” O’Hanley suggested Territory was a chance to explore something deeper.

“We’re better equipped to handle some of this stuff.”

He shied away from the word “spirituality,” but offered a half-joking description of Territory:

“The scarf that’s Little Jabs is yellow, [whereas] Territory is rainbow coloured with darker tones.”

“Not everything we write is autobiographical, we’re just spinning a few yarns,” he said.

 

Hailing from a town of only 35,000, O’Hanley explained that Charlottetown has a “song-based culture” that Two Hours Traffic is proud to be part of.

“We’ve been playing and working with the same faces for five or six years. There’s definitely a core community – and a young one … without being lumped in with other bands or geographical sound, I like the mentality of where your song has to hold up.”

But that doesn’t mean they won’t leave the east coast when touring opportunities arise.

“I can’t expect anything, but I can hope we’ll go to Europe, and certainly to the States,” O’Hanley said.

The band is touring Canada this month with The Danks and Spiral Beach.

“Winnipeg was one of the first places to catch on to us,” he said, adding that the band played the Winnipeg Folk Festival in 2006. “I really, really like the approach to music in Winnipeg in particular – there’s some cool stuff going on.”

And if Little Jabs is for taking on summer road trips, how would O’Hanley describe Territory?

“Driving in a blizzard,” he laughed.