Lyrically, Dartboard is a self-aware and semi-sarcastic piece that explores the relationship between adolescence, irreparable mistakes, and the passing of time. I wrote it while in a strange kind of limbo — I was feeling real personal regret after a torpedoed relationship, but I still didn’t want to admit to myself that I was at any fault. So, instead of writing a hyper-reflective song that could make my regret (and mistakes) legitimate, I wrote Dartboard in the mindset of someone who was so far selectively removed from reality that he couldn’t even remember the last four years of his life. Thus, creating a kind of protection from blame and criticism for this person, at least in his own head. Writing this piece from that perspective actually helped me confront and move past those feelings of regret in my own life.
Musically, we juxtapose Dartboard’s complex lyrics with a feel-good and digestible melody and hook. We felt it was important to stick to the oblivious “everything is fine, I love my life, I’ve done nothing wrong” theme that the lyrics portray, and the instrumental encapsulates that feeling. It’s so catchy that it can distract listeners from picking up on the heaviness behind the lyrics, which is exactly what we were going for.
-Stephen Knight, Home by 7
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