Track of the Day: The Roots take on Monsters of Folk "Dear God"

Last year, Monsters of Folk released their first album, a self-entitled piece featuring the combined powers of Jim James (My Morning Jacket), M. Ward (She & Him), and Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis (both of Bright Eyes). Among the super-group's crafted tracks was "Dear God." The drifting background tones and the delicate guitar juxtaposed with the ghostly vocal work by James on the chorus, cooing "I know I'm thinking out loud / But if your love's still around, why do we suffer?" and Oberst's soul-searching inquiry, certainly one of the album's top tracks.

This brings us to The Roots new album, How I Got Over which was released yesterday. Included is a collaboration between The Roots and Monsters of Folk, "Dear God 2.0." I wouldn't quite call it a remix, the track brings far more to the table than that. It is a fresh visualization, drawing power from the superb drumming of ?uestlove and a haunting piano progression. Jim James still delivers the stirring chorus, and Black Thought takes the place of Oberst, providing provocative verses. Urging change and deploring the unsteady state of the world, Black Thought raps: "If I could hold the world in the palm of these / Hands, I would probably do away with these anomalies / Everybody checkin' for the new award nominee / Wars and atrocities / Look at all the poverty," and later begs for forgiveness for his own imperfections. A pretty and moving collaboration indeed.