Sydney-based pop-punk quintet Bellwether recently revealed their first single and it ain’t too shabby!
‘Shortsighted’ has many elements of surprise, from their pop-punk fueled “Woah oh’s” to frontman James Graham’s emotional, grunge-inspired screams. Taking influence from Kisschasy and Weezer, the song delivers a nostalgic revival of pop-punk elements, rinsed with angst and purity, while offering a refreshing new taste of modern songwriting.
The group’s combined music experience is all-embracing, capturing the true essence of their lyrical subjects through their unique and eclectic sound.
“‘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,” explains 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,” continues Heath. “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.”
Bellwether consists of former members of bands Oaks and Flicker, whose previous releases received widespread support from triple j, triple j Unearthed, JOY FM, Tone Deaf and Wall of Sound.
Between all band members, they have collectively shared the stage with the likes of Four Year Strong (USA), Knocked Loose (USA), Trash Boat (UK) and WSTR (UK), whilst having also supported Australian exports Yours Truly and Between You and Me.
A great debut single from Bellwether!
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