What is an earworm?? In a nutshell, it’s that tune you can’t get out of your nut. Stuck on loop in your brain playing endlessly it either elates or confounds depending on what it is and what you are at that moment. It may help with a routine task (in that whistle while you work sort of way) or it may distract from the task at hand (in that I’m trying to write these liner notes and I can’t stop hearing “Whistle While Work” sort of way). Like technology, it is ultimately neutral but has profound effects on us both positively and negatively.

So then, what is “Earworms”? In a nutshell, it’s a collection of music that might possibly become stuck in your nut. Is it a children's record? Well, not exactly...but I do think children will enjoy (most of) it. Does it offer parenting advice? Uh, not really...but there are perhaps some (few and far between) nuggets of wisdom. Most broadly, it’s a love letter to having a baby told in 19 songs, ditties and skits. What else would you expect when you’re expecting a trained musician to spend every waking hour caring for a newborn infant? Topics include the mysteries of pregnancy, the trials and tribulations of breastfeeding, poopy diapers, napping, walking, talking...you know, kids stuff. Or more accurately, adults with kids stuff. While a couple of the songs were meticulously crafted for full dramatic effect most of these tunes where created on the fly in the field while living the day to day of a stay at home dad. With enough repetition they transitioned from daily work songs to earworms to full blown band arrangements.

Which leads to another thing that “Earworms” is. “Earworms” is a beautiful snapshot of the amazing musicians I’ve had the pleasure of working with here in Seattle over the last 20 years. Cross- pollinated from wildly varied projects (see the “musicians map”) they have all generously donated their time and skill to turn this collection of ditties into the glorious field of wildflowers you see before you. Or is that hear before you. Either way, without them I am nothing.

So sit back, relax and take a musically journey through of the magic of child rearing from zero to two-ish. Unless the baby’s crying, in which case you better go deal with that.