Devils, Etc.

The title of this song nods to Wilco's "Jesus, Etc." from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. I’m a bit fuzzy on the exact details of how "Devils, etc." came together musically—I wrote it quite a while ago. What stands out for me is John Guari’s keyboard work on this track, which I think puts it in the same sonic territory as my favorite Willie Nelson album, Phases and Stages.

This song tells a story in a way that's more straightforward than most of my other songs, so I’ll keep the details brief. The inspiration for "Devils, etc." came from a conversation with Beth. At a time when I was struggling with my conscience, Beth suggested that I might evaluate my character not by the mistakes I perceived, but by the kind of person I aspired to be. It’s a perspective shift that resonates with me, even though I generally try to avoid the “good person” vs. “bad person” dichotomy—binaries, in general, don’t sit well with me. But when your mum's a lapsed Catholic and your dad's a lapsed Mormon, you come by your guilty conscience honestly.