Perhaps it’s Monday or the umpteenth day of lockdown getting to me, but the angsty punk of “Shortsighted,” the latest track from Sydney act Bellwether, is really resonating with me today. It’s an all-out assault on the senses with big chunky chords and all-too-relatable lyrics.
“‘Shortsighted’ is, in essence, a song about self-acceptance. It’s about confronting and admitting your own flaws, while at the same time accepting yourself for who you are and abandoning the expectations imposed onto you by others,” explained Bellwether’s guitarist and songwriter, Heath Joukhadar. “That all being said, the song doesn’t take itself seriously, which is not only reflected by the message of the lyrics but also the numerous pop culture and meme references included throughout the track.
“We took a lot of inspiration from BoJack Horseman when we were writing ‘Shortsighted’, as he was a character we could all empathise with,” Heath added. “BoJack personifies the feeling of never being good enough and we tried channelling that energy into the song. Sometimes you feel like a piece of shit and that’s alright.”
You might not have heard of Bellwether yet, but a lot of influential people are sitting up and taking notice. They’ve played shows with American acts Four Year Strong and Knocked Loose, British bands WSTR and Trash Boat, and our own Between You and Me and Yours Truly. This track also premiered on leading USA outlet Substream Magazine. It sounds like this is one local act destined for big things in the not-too-distant future.
Image used with permission from Good Intent