The album features new member Angela Seo on piano, synthesizer and drum programming, with production by band leader Jamie Stewart and Deerhoof's Greg Saunier.
Lyrically, the album touches on themes such as body image, eating disorder, race, self-loathing, parental pressure and Stewart's idolization of fictional characters such as Butters Stotch and Pandapple.
Jamie Stewart composed these songs on a Hello Kitty-themed DS, and even used the KORG DS-10 in live shows, including a rendition of "I Luv The Valley OH!"
[7][8][9] Dear God, I Hate Myself was released on February 23, 2010, by Kill Rock Stars (US & UK) and P-Vine Records (Japan).
[10] A deluxe numbered edition of 100 copies was released by Kill Rock Stars the same year, featuring a sleeve cover printed with silver ink and 12 vinyl stickers by artist J.
[17] "Gray Death" prominently features Ches Smith on timpani, at the top of a stairwell at a "crappy rental" Jamie Stewart used to live at.
Greg Saunier of Deerhoof compared the guitar on the song to the Grateful Dead, which is Jamie Stewart's "least favorite non-contemporary band".
[3] "Apple For A Brain" has lyrics that reference the cartoon characters Butters Stotch and Pandapple (from South Park and Sanrio respectively).
Angela Seo joins Stewart on vocals for the "lu-lu-lu-lu-lu" jingle, a reference to Butters' "I've got some apples" song from the eighth season South Park episodes "You Got F'd In The A" and "Stupid Spoiled Whore Video Playset".
This is referential to how Butters is depicted as more naive, optimistic and gullible than the show's other young characters and can become increasingly anxious, similar to other emotional themes on Dear God, I Hate Myself.
The music video features footage of children playing with snails interspersed with zoomed-in spermatozoons, which shortly cuts to news reports about a fictional missing child and the search-and-rescue operation that followed her disappearance.
title refers to the real-life Falkland Road in New Delhi, the city's "notorious red-light district"[24] which according to Stewart, contained many underage sex workers from Nepal who were terrorized and trafficked.
John Dieterich of Deerhoof played everything on "Cumberland Gap" (including the quatro and the dobro) with the exception of the banjo and vocals (by Stewart).
"Impossible Feeling" is also the only song on Dear God, I Hate Myself which contains real drums, recorded before Stewart moved to Durham in Oakland, California.
Stewart remarked that "who doesn't (steal ideas from other people), except Jesus Christ, Abraham, Buddha, and Muhammad."
[3] "The Ropes Have Pulled Tight" references the Immaculata Catholic School, the Orchestra of which was prominently used in "This Too Shall Pass Away (For Freddy)" among other tracks.
"Chocolate Makes You Happy" is about an eating disorder, depicting the subject of the song forcing their hands down their throat to vomit.
[32] "Apple for a Brain" depicts Jamie Stewart's fanaticism for fictional characters Butters Stotch (of South Park) and Pandapple (of Sanrio fame).
Drowned in Sound gave Dear God, I Hate Myself a 7/10, saying that "influences are thrown in and bounced around with the mania of a Take A Break prizewinner's trolley dash".
Pitchfork gave Dear God, I Hate Myself a 7.3/10, remarking that "with Caralee McElroy gone, Jamie Stewart enlists new guests and experiments with 8-bit textures.
All tracks written by Jamie Stewart except for "Cumberland Gap" (Traditional) on "Gray Death": on "Chocolate Makes You Happy": on "Apple for a Brain": on "House Sparrow": on "Hyunhye's Theme": on "Dear God, I Hate Myself": on "Secret Motel": on "Falkland Rd.