The Flying Squad supercharge with a powerhouse anthem "Canyonero" [Review]

South Australia's alt-country band The Flying Squad has transformed a cult cartoon jingle into a fire-breathing Southern rock proclamation. Their new single, "Canyonero (Hank Williams Jr. Cover)," tears off the ironic homage to a plodding cartoon truck and slaps the mother on an extra coating of turbocharged desert dust, attitude, and guitar grit. Originally written as a tongue-in-cheek celebration of excess and idiocy and performed by none other than Hank Williams Jr., "Canyonero" has enjoyed an unexpected second wind in the capable, calloused hands of this five-piece raised on Kaurna Land.

Where the original went completely send-up, The Flying Squad brings muscle, memories, and a wealth of character. "Canyonero" races ahead like a muscle car with no brakes, drenched in the Southern Rock vibe. It's loud, rowdy, and it doesn't regret it for a minute. There's a rawness to the performance that comes across as absolutely real. Tapping into their musical DNA, a robust stew of outlaw country, Aussie pub rock, blues, and Americana, the band doesn't so much cover the song. They own it. Their take grumbles with baritone vocals, deep-fried guitar solos, and a rhythm section that sounds like it was weaned on a roadhouse.

"We grew up laughing at Canyonero, but there's something unstoppable in that riff," says the band. "So  we turned it up and let it roar." It's a reinvention. The Flying Squad breathe soul, swagger, and horsepower into a song that most folks only remember for its punchline. Now it's serious business, even as it smiles amid the smoke and static. The Flying Squad is not just covering a song with "Canyonero." They're reclaiming it, spinning pop culture into modern Americana gold, and proving once again that their sound knows no boundaries, only back roads.