Union Avenue recreate the unmistakable sound of Sun Records-era Johnny Cash on Ace Of Spades, transforming familiar rock, country and classic songs into performances that sound as though they could have emerged from a 1950s recording session. Their uncanny recreation of the early Cash style gives these unlikely covers an entirely new identity.
The centrepiece is their remarkable version of Motörhead's Ace Of Spades, which earned Record of the Week honours from Mark Radcliffe and Marc Riley on BBC Radio 1. Elsewhere, songs by Bob Marley, Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Rolling Stones are given the same vintage treatment, demonstrating just how naturally these very different songs can work in a classic rockabilly and country setting.
With six tracks of gloriously unlikely Sun-style reworkings, Ace Of Spades offers an entertaining musical time machine. Ever wondered what the Man in Black might have sounded like tackling Ace Of Spades, I Shot The Sheriff or Bad Moon Rising in the 1950s? Union Avenue provide a rather convincing answer.
