PREMIERE: The Meltdown - Crooked Country

Melbourne soul outfit The Meltdown recently released and launched their self-titled full-length album, and they're following it up with the video for acclaimed new single Crooked Country, proudly premiering on theMusic.com.au today.

The song topped the AMRAP charts a few weeks back and has enjoyed a nice run in the top 10 in the ensuing time, which isn't too surprising given its deeply infectious, horn-laden grooves topped by honeyed harmonies and silken vocals. It's also picked up airplay on ABC Local and Double J.

Singer Simon Burke explained to The Music that Crooked Country was written in response to the election of Donald Trump to the US presidency, as "the complete feeling of confusion, disappointment and anger turned outwards into this song".

"I'd been hanging with a bunch of friends as the news came through, and we were all in genuine shock and horror," he said. "I then went straight to a writing session with [fellow members] Lachlan and Dustin and we worked together, bemused that this insane, unstable, twisted, bigoted, sexist demagogue could end up with his finger on the largest nuclear arsenal in the world."

The clip is a simple but effective one, shot by Cesar Rodrigues (Blank Tape) live at Sing Sing studios as The Meltdown recorded the song for their album. "It is, as with the matching clips already released, the actual vocal take and all," Burke revealed.

The Meltdown still have a few shows in the near future if you're around and keen to experience the live vibes — catch them at The Republic, north Hobart, on 16 June, Oakleigh's Caravan Music Club on 30 June, and the Meeniyan Town Hall on 5 August.

See the band's Facebook page for more information.