Two Hours Traffic
Schedule
Sat, 31 May, 2025 at 07:00 pm
UTC-04:00Location
12 Wyndham St, Guelph, ON, Canada, Ontario | Guelph, ON
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After more than a decade spent carving out their place in the Canadian indie rock landscape, Two Hours Traffic took their final bow in 2013. Their hook-laden melodies and sharp lyricism had earned them a dedicated following, a Polaris Music Prize shortlist nomination for 2007’s Little Jabs, and inclusion on the soundtracks of iconic TV shows of the era (The Office and The O.C.), but as priorities shifted and the live music landscape grew increasingly challenging, they decided to step back and shift their attention elsewhere. But bands seem to have a way of calling you back. After a quiet reunion in 2018, the Charlottetown group, comprised of Liam Corcoran, Andy MacDonald, Nick Doneff, and Derek Ellis, soon found themselves playing together again, first occasionally, then more often, until new songs began to emerge naturally. Now, twelve years since their last release, Two Hours Traffic make an unexpected but welcome return with their new EP, I Never See You Anymore. The six-song EP blends the experiences and influences of their early years with the maturity and clarity of a band shaped by another decade of life. The title, I Never See You Anymore, is reflective of encountering the bittersweet realities of no longer being a touring band, as bassist and producer Andy MacDonald explains. “Every time we made our way across Canada, and even on our trips to Europe, Australia, and the US, we’d run into friends and musicians we couldn’t wait to see,” he recalls. “Once we split up, it slowly dawned on us that we wouldn’t be seeing most of these people regularly again.” Recording the EP was a collaborative and organic process that unfolded naturally throughout 2024. Sessions took place at various friends’ studios on PEI, as well as at Fang Recording, Joel Plaskett’s studio, in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. “Writing and recording this EP was such a pleasure because we weren’t beholden to any timelines,” MacDonald reflects. “We were able to slowly pick away at the songs and refine them.” “It takes a village to make a Two Hours Traffic record,” says Corcoran, referring to a village seemingly populated by some of Eastern Canada’s most acclaimed musicians. The process began with sessions at Greg Alsop’s (Tokyo Police Club) studio in Charlottetown. From there, bass and guitar were tracked at Plaskett’s studio in Dartmouth, followed by vocal recording in Hope River, PEI, at Mark Geddes’ studio, The Hold. Outside of these sessions, longtime collaborator Dan Griffin contributed synths and keys that subtly tied the songs together. The newest member of the band, Nick Doneff, played a key role in the process, adding layers, working on rough mixes, and keeping things organized. “When we decided to record the sixth song, ‘Andy Magoffin’, Nick was in the engineer’s chair,” Corcoran notes. Reflecting on the band’s democratic approach, Corcoran praises MacDonald for stepping up to produce the project and guide them through the long and winding process. “Andy took on the task of making the executive decisions, ensuring that we retained our identity while also creating something fresh,” Corcoran says. The new songs seem to embrace the ethos that first brought them together: direct, melody-driven songwriting with an emotional core, but now with a refined maturity. While I Never See You Anymore carries echoes of Little Jabs’ infectious hooks and Foolish Blood’s polished confidence, it also leans into a warmer, more dynamic sound shaped by the band’s years apart. There’s a looseness in the arrangements, a sense of ease that comes from playing without expectation. Lead single, “Keep It Coming”, reflects this spirit. Written during a challenging year, the song became a mantra about staying present and trusting in resilience. “A reminder not to worry about every little thing in the future,” says MacDonald. For Two Hours Traffic, “the old days” seemed to be a time of constant evolution, navigating lineup changes and shifting priorities, both creatively and personally. Their 2009 album Territory saw them stepping into a more expansive, textured sound, pushing beyond the bright immediacy of Little Jabs. By 2013’s Foolish Blood, they had refined their songwriting even further, balancing their knack for hooks with a newfound confidence. Those years that followed were full of all the growing pains, joys, and struggles that come naturally to a young band under a spotlight. Reflecting on that time, Corcoran says, “I get the feeling that we were still trying to prove ourselves.” Now, with I Never See You Anymore, Two Hours Traffic are less focused on proving themselves and more on staying connected to the music they love. As MacDonald puts it, “Everyone in the band is ultimately in love with the process of writing and recording music. It’s been a part of our lives since we were teenagers, and we’re all still at it. Whether it’s Two Hours Traffic, Liam and Nick’s solo work, or Golden Cinema, we’re all still picking away. I don’t see it stopping anytime soon. We’re hooked.”
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Where is it happening?
12 Wyndham St, Guelph, ON, Canada, OntarioEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
