Monsters of Folk (Jim James, Conor Oberst, M. Ward)

WHAT Monsters of Folk, a supergroup featuring M. Ward, Conor Oberst and Jim James, tour to support their eponymous album
WHEN Oct 30
WHERE Auditorium Theatre (50 E Congress Pkwy, 312-553-3530, auditoriumtheatre.org)

People said they thought it was XTC’s “Dear God.” That’s why we put in the parentheses. I still haven’t heard that XTC song. I need to.

“Dear God (sincerely M.O.F.)”
By Monsters of Folk

When we went on tour, it was originally just billed as Conor, Jim, etc. We jokingly called it the “monsters of folk.” When we decided to do an album we were hell-bent on finding a real name. We were gonna call it “Monsters.” But it always sounded like we were taking ourselves too seriously.

There’s a record store in Nashville, Grimey’s. Grimey turns me on to stuff and told me about Numero Group’s reissues. There’s a couple other ones I got, but the Good God one just blew me away. There’s never been a record I listened to so much.

Featuring a sample of:
Trevor Dandy’s “Is There Any Love”
Written, produced and recorded by Paul Zaza
Found on Good God! A Gospel Funk Hymnal (Numero Group)

No, that’s not my real name.

[Jim James:]
Dear God, I’m trying hard to reach you.
Dear God, I see your face in all I do.
Sometimes it’s so hard to believe in you.
But God, I know you have your reasons.

I consider myself really spiritual. I feel the presence of God, or whatever that is, all of the time, whether it’s live or music. I’ve never been able to define it or call it Christianity or Islam. I can’t put a label on it.

[M. Ward:]
Dear God, I see you moving mountains.
Dear God, I see you moving trees.
Sometimes, it’s nothing to believe in. No, no.
Sometimes, it’s everything I see.

Yeah, there were all sorts of Traveling Wilburys jokes made. It’s natural for people to think about that kinda thing. But we never got together and were like, “Let’s be the Traveling Wilburys.”

[All three:]
But I’ve been thinking about it.
And I’ve been breaking it down
Without an answer.
I know I’m thinking out loud.
But if your love’s still around, why do we suffer?

Is Conor coming on to God? Maybe that’s just your projection on the lyrics. Conor’s a sexy guy. How can you not be turned on by him? No, I think he’s just wishing for that tangible, 3D experience with God that you can never have.

[Conor Oberst:]
Dear God, I wish that I could touch you.
How strange, sometimes I feel I almost do.
And then I’m back behind the glass again.
Oh God, what keeps you out, it keeps me in.

[All three:]
But I’ve been thinking about it.
And I’ve been breaking it down
Without an answer.
I know I’m thinking out loud.
But if your love’s still around, why do we suffer?

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