Do you believe in happy accidents? Well, to me this album is just that. 　　 　　It happened over the course of a few days while sitting in my kitchen with a bunch of new songs swirling in my head. 　　 　　I got out my minidisc recorder, a cheap little microphone and my notebook, filled with a writing binge I went on just after finishing my last album, and I started to play. 　　 　　I do most of my songwriting in the kitchen. 　　 　　I've lived here for the past 13 years, a few miles from where I grew up in Stoughton, near the south shore of Massachusetts. 　　 　　At the time, I was sure these recordings would stay here in this house with me. 　　 　　I recorded these songs quickly, mostly in one take, just so I wouldn't forget the melodies and chords. 　　 　　I decided to release these recordings as they are so you can hear them the way I did the time - fresh, simple and unadorned. 　　 　　What you hear is not polished or refined. 　　 　　It's just me and my guitar. 　　 　　I didn't make any effort to fix mistakes or re-record any songs. 　　 　　This is me in my kitchen, at my table with the phone ringing, the TV buzzing, and my kids running around. 　　 　　The recordings are far from perfect, but they were never meant to be. 　　 　　I'd like to think that their imperfections add to their beauty, and I hope you will, too.