Aussie rock legends The Meanies are back with a brand new single, sharing the powerful ‘Cruel To Be Caned’ and its music video today.
In the annals of Australian music folklore, The Meanies are one of those bands that are impossible to ignore. Famed for their raucous live shows, punchy compositions, and endless supply of singles and EPs, it makes sense that these Melbourne icons even supported the great Nirvana during their sole trip down under.
As the years have gone on, The Meanies have continued their reputation by delivering blistering live songs and playing sold-out gigs around the country, even if it did take over 20 years for them to release their last album, 2015’s It’s Not Me It’s You.
Thankfully, the wait for more new material hasn’t been as long this time around, with the group today sharing their new single, ‘Cruel To Be Caned’, featuring a typically-wild video directed by Link Meanie.
Depicting “a tale of anxiety, depression and inevitable isolation, and the struggle knowing that such forced expulsion is at once entirely necessary, yet resented,” Link explains just how the track came together after a long time spent working on it.
“‘Cruel To Be Caned’ was a song that for a fair while I couldn’t complete,” he recalls. “I loved the verse and what I’d call the first chorus (where I start singing for the first time as Wally sings the first verse by himself). The song needed something else though and I tried various 2nd chorus ideas before settling on the one we have.
“Rather than being the money shot of the song (which is usually the job of the chorus) I wanted something that was not competing with the first hook but saying “How good was that melody. I’ve got it’s back. I’m gonna kick anyone’s arse who looks at it the wrong way!!!”
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A powerful track that showcases The Meanies at their very best, ‘Cruel To Be Caned’ serves as the first single from their forthcoming album, and is undoubtedly another highlight in an already-exceptional career from the outfit.
Check out ‘Cruel To Be Caned’ by The Meanies:
