How does a 1896 composition get re-imagined into a modern rock ‘n’ roll revival song? By “hearing things individually, [placing] it into a melting pot [and] stirring it up,” according to Ural Thomas of Ural Thomas and The Pain in this exclusive interview and performance of “Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight.”
Bolstered by soulful vocals, energetic bass, and lively flares of brass, this rollicking reinterpretation of a historic song over a century old is one of 10 songs off our just-released album, Transference. The project unearths and re-examines a diverse collection of honored, distinguished musical artifacts, each from the public domain — blowing the proverbial dust off of them and transferring the life, feelings, and ideas into something completely different. Through direct collaboration with a diverse array of artists from our community, every song has been transformed to reflect the unique sonic identity of each artist while still keeping the integrity of the original composition.
The result is something unlike anything we’ve ever heard before and, judging by the buzz we’ve received, we’re not the only ones excited about it. Publications like Pitchfork, KEXP, Brooklyn Vegan, FADER, Paste Magazine, Portland Mercury and Your EDM (to name a few) have featured or reviewed singles from the album, a testament to the power of creative collaboration within a community and the magic that comes from it. We’re thankful to have had so much support throughout this journey and are excited to finally unveil Transference to the world today.
Watch an exclusive interview and performance of the single “Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight” by Ural Thomas and The Pain.