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Join the Mumbles at Oxbow Beer Garden Saturday evening, July 26

OXFORD, Maine — Pocket Full of Mumbles, southern Maine’s leading  purveyors of “Smart Twang,” will play The Oxbow Beer Garden here on Saturday, July 26, 4-7 p.m.

Founded in Newcastle, with a second location on Portland’s ever-more trendy Washington Street corridor, Oxbow opened its third location, The Beer Garden, in 2019. If you haven’t checked out this location — at 420 Main Street in Oxford, 35 minutes north of Portland, just west of Lewiston-Auburn — you’re missing out.

The sprawling, idyllic setting on Route 26, with its vintage sleds and private lean-tos, has no comps. The restaurant slings wood-fired, naturally leavened pizza, along with salads and seasonal dishes. The bar features an extensive selection of Oxbow beers, as well as house-made sodas, spirits, cider and wine. The terrain surrounding the Beer Garden — the former Carter’s XC Ski — has produced exceptional fruits and vegetables for generations. Today it  generates ingredients for the Oxbow kitchen.

“We first became enamored of Oxbow’s delightful Farmhouse Pale Ale, but then we discovered  Washington Street and the Beer Garden,” says Mumbles co-founder Hal Phillips. “We’re thrilled to play the latter on July 26. It’s become THE place to stop on the way home from Sunday River. But on a warm summer evening? Way cozier.

“We also appreciate the staff warming to our Simon & Garfunkel roots. The poster was their own creation! We still pepper our sets with S&G — if you haven’t heard America with pedal steel, well, you’ve never really heard it. But folks can also expect our full complement of originals, along with twang-infused covers of Jackson Brown, Son Volt, Robert Plant and Alisson Krause, The Band and CSN.”

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Cassette-Tape Revival? Young Hipsters Need a Primer on What They’re Getting Into

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It’s weird to learn that specific, intimate aspects of one’s own cultural history are making “comebacks”. Maybe 15-20 years ago, a certain American demographic started collecting and playing vinyl records again, for example. Out of nowhere this became trendy. Today, folks of all ages are still giddily sourcing records from Discogs and investing in turntables, after a 20-year respite. Last year, in the same vein, The Mumbles learned that cassette tapes are back in vogue after three decades away. Those confused by this development, or nostalgic for it, are invited to read more here.

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What ever happened to that guy who robbed the liquor store?

We often tell audiences that a particular tune we perform, “Wednesday Morning, 3 a.m.”, contains perhaps the most unlikely Paul Simon lyric ever written down. Give a listen and pay special attention to the third verse… The notion that effete, petit Paul Simon would ever knock over a liquor store, or commit a violent felony of any kind, is patently absurd. The same could be said of Art Garfunkel, who is taller but no less the sensitive, urbane sophisticate.

No one claims this or any S&G song is explicitly autobiographical, but this unlikely outlaw theme is one that Simon & Garfunkel must have fancied because they resurrect and amplify it on their very next album with the song, “Somewhere They Can’t Find Me”, which PFOM continues to perform as part a medley including “We’ve got a Groovy Thing Going, Baby” and “Angie”.

In an earlier blog post, we remark on the fact that S&G’s debut album, Wednesday Morning 3 a.m., was something of a dud. Indeed, Simon’s next batch of spare folk tunes didn’t thrill the executives at Columbia Records, and so he fucked off to England, with Kathy (she of the song), to concentrate on becoming the next Bob Dylan. It wasn’t until producer Tom Wilson rocked up the single, “Sounds of Silence” (in post production), that S&G would reform. Indeed, this new Byrds-inspired version would go straight to #1, which led Simon, Garfunkel and Wilson to affix more orchestration to many of the remaining songs on this second album, the now iconic Sounds of Silence.

One of those cuts, “Somewhere They Can’t Find Me”, doesn’t merely harken back to the criminal storyline detailed in “Wednesday,” the previous album’s title cut. It reprises nearly the entire lyric and updates the story.

In the wistful original, our antihero narrator has committed a crime, broken the law… In the middle of the night, his girlfriend asleep at his side, he wonders aloud (amid rich harmonies) what fate the dawn will bring.

Artists will sometimes refer back to previous lyrics, dropping little references or inside jokes to the listener. But with “Somewhere” we find something quite different: Simon deploys the original “Wednesday Morning” lyric to create a brand new song. A newly inserted chorus spells out next steps: I’ve got to creep down the alleyway, fly down the highway…

These urgent new lyrics and tone reveal that our unlikely felon has resolved to go on the lam — Before they come and get me I’ll be gone! Somewhere, where they can’t find me…

It’s not clear, but it seems his girlfriend may have woken up in time to hear all this. One can imagine her surprise: That this poetic, nebbish (a nice Jewish boy?) has A) robbed a liquor store; and B) now intends to elude the long arm of justice like some turtle-necked, scarf-wearing Clyde Barrow. It’s all a bit grandiose but it does lead us to wonder (and further consult the S&G songbook) as to whatever happened to that guy…

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Mumbles back at Pineland Farms for Strawberry Moon PYO Extravaganza, Friday June 20, 4-7 p.m.

NEW GLOUCESTER — Pocket Full of Mumbles, Maine’s favorite purveyors of eclectic, crowd-pleasing twang, will again play the annual Strawberry Moon Celebration here at Pineland Farms Friday, June 20. Show time is 4-7 p.m.

This three-day event, the ultimate yard party, takes place entirely within the Pineland Farms property at 752 Mayall Road in New Gloucester. Festivities include, music, PYO strawberries galore, food-truck fare, games, sunshine, farm equipment, dessert tables, horse-drawn carriage rides, special moonlit picking hours, and plenty of room for kids to run wild. The cost: Just $5 per person — but don’t forget to put your ticket price toward your PYO purchase at checkout.  Children under 2: free.

The Mumbles will bring the musical ambience, next to the big tractor, from a proper flatbed stage. Food & drink vendors include Craft Curbside, Cruzin’ Slice, Shut up N’ Eat It, Cheese the Day, the Pink Waffle, and our very own Pineland Market strawberry shortcake station.

For more information, visit the Pineland Farms website or call the Farm at (207) 657-2877.

It’s a lot to absorb, but don’t overthink it: Just drop by, harvest a few quarts of delicious strawberries from the rich Maine soil, listen to the music, have a beverage, a bite to eat and, if you need more strawberries, come back the next day and do it all again.

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Mumbles return to Side By Each, recommend Potential Spam Smoked Brown Ale

AUBURN, Maine — Pocket Full of Mumbles, southern Maine’s favorite purveyors of smart, toe-tapping twang, return to Side By Each Brewing Co. on Friday Night, Nov. 15. That’s THIS Friday. Show time is 7 p.m.

All three sets will be thoroughly entertaining and completely apolitical. The band will debut several new tunes Friday night, among them “Please Read the Letter,” a song written by Jimmy Page and more recently recorded by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss. The Mumbles will also trot out “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” from the Beatles’ White Album.

Neither song choice carries with it any hidden partisan meaning (we’re not even sure we’re spelling partisan correctly). But the Mumbles are of the mind that most live bands should make the effort to tackle at least one Beatles tune each time they play out. Other than that, look for the eclectic mix — originals, Son Volt, Simon & Garfunkel, Cracker, CSNY, Bob Mould, The Band and Jackson Browne — that folks across South-Central Maine have come to expect from these neon gods.

There will be time between sets, potentially, for gloating or handwringing of all kinds, but that should be done outside… Mind you, it’s going down below 40 degrees Farenheit this Friday night. What’s more, Side by Each is located at 1110 Minot Avenue, a fairly busy thoroughfare with two lanes traveling in either direction. Speed limit: 50 mph. The Mumbles strongly advise against wandering anywhere near the roadway on foot.

Best to stay inside, enjoy the music and tuck into some of the House Risotto, and maybe a pint of the Potential Spam Smoked Brown Ale, which recently earned the “Cheers to Independent U.S. Craft Breweries” (Level 82) badge.

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Live Music on the Patio at Allegash Brewery, 12/21

Pocket Full of Mumbles returns to Portland’s Allagash Brewery on Saturday night, Dec. 21, and fear not — the boys will come prepared to celebrate the season. 

Oh sure, starting at 5 p.m., patrons can expect only the finest collection of Simon & Garfunkel homage (including a new medley of tunes from the Sound of Silence LP), not to mention several originals and selections from Jackson Browne, alt-country darlings Son Volt, Tom Petty, Neil Young and Stephen Stills. 

But Pocket Full of Mumbles will show up on Riverside — four days before Christmas — withan eclectic set of Christmas songs in tow, some of them requiring no instrumentation whatsoever. These a cappella selections include:

  • While Shepherds Watched their Flocks, a venerable English hymn (dating to the 16thcentury) that describes the “Annunciation to the Shepherds” who, having watched the angels gatheron high (and the wise men roll in from the East), rightly wondered what exactly was going down in their sleepy little town (of Bethlehem). Some folks may recognize this song but even they may not realize just how popular this carol used to be. In fact, it was the only Christmas-specific hymn authorized to be sung by the Anglican Church prior to 1700, along with the Psalms of David.
  • Away in a Manger, another standby (but not quite so old) that boasts a curiously international backstory. Legend routinely ascribed the lyrics to Protestant reformer Martin Luther; many went so far as to call it “Luther’s Cradle Song” or “Luther’s Cradle Hymn”, arguing that its English lyrics had been translated from Luther’s German. It is in fact wholly American in origin, the work of two late 19th century hymnsmiths, William Kirkpatrick and James Ramsey Murray. For whatever reason, it remains extraordinarily popular in England, where a 1996 Gallup poll ranked it joint second among all Christmas carols. 
  • Comfort and Joy, Simon & Garfunkel’s spare but compelling take on God Rest Ye Merry Gentlementhat appeared on the 1997 anthology, Old Friends. It was recorded in 1967. 

Mike and Hal are keeping their options open prior to the Allagash gig; there may well be more seasonal additions to the set list. 

But one thing’s for certain: On Dec. 21, the duo will perform Santa Bring My Baby Back to Me, a tune written by Aaron Schroeder and Claude Demetrius but made famous by the one and only Elvis Presley. This song first appeared in 1957, as part of an RCA Victor 45 EP, Elvis’ Christmas Album, along with Santa Claus is Back in Town, Blue Christmas, and I’ll Be Home for Christmas. Not surprisingly, the album would eventually reach#1 on the Billboard EP chart.

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PFOM at The Blue 8/10

Just as Paul Simon’s career is winding down down, Pocket Full of Mumbles (PFOM) — having debuted July 5 at Andy’s Old Port Pub in Portland, with a follow-up appearance Friday, Aug. 10 at The Blue Coffee House in Kennebunk (5:30-7:30 p.m.) — is just getting started. As the ironies and serendipities pile up, we find them difficult to ignore.

Granted, at this point Big Data in general may be more familiar with New Gloucester-based PFOM’s intentions than the band’s would-be adoring public. PFOM principals Mike Conant and Hal Phillips have been Googling Simon & Garfunkel lyrics and chords for the past year, preparing for this moment. And so they have also been bombarded with data-driven news re. Simon’s farewell tour, now passing through Europe before concluding in Queens Sept. 22. The diminutive one will release his new album, In the Blue Light, on Sept. 7, to coincide with the final leg of “Homeward Bound — The Farewell Tour”.

This glut of Simon news, retrospective and otherwise, is not mere happenstance. It has further informed and solidified the PFOM project. To be clear: Pocket Full of Mumbles was formed when Conant sent Phillips a text in the spring of 2017. It said, more or less, “What do you think about burnishing a bunch of Simon & Garfunkel songs to a fine glow, recording them, then taking them on the road?” From the start, they envisioned an acoustic-duo set, followed by a fully “orchestrated” set with a full band behind them. The recording portion of that grand plan will take place this winter. For now, PFOM are content to further burnish while taking the music to directly to the people, live and in person.

Conant and Phillips didn’t know Paul Simon would be saying farewell in 2018. But the fact that he IS calling it quits has, by virtue of the massive media coverage, further buttressed the Pocket Full of Mumbles mission.

To cite just one example, Conant and Phillips love the way a song like Sounds of Silence stands as an iconic example of the coffee-house folk song, with its poignant and poetic lyrics delivered by a couple sensitive guys in black turtlenecks. This is the version that appeared on S&G’s debut album, Wednesday Morning 3 a.m.

Yet PFOM also adores the same song, the title track from the duo’s second LP, the fully orchestrated/rocked-up version.

This is exactly the dynamic PFOM aims eventually to achieve.

But there’s way more to the story, and we wouldn’t know it were the Internet not churning out Paul Simon retrospectives (and lining the margins of our browser sessions) with such diligence this summer.

As this Guardian piece ably relates, Wednesday Morning 3 a.m. was something of a flop. Simon, despondent, decamped for England to pursue a more pure and solo folkie career (he was also chasing a girl, Kathy Chitty, later the subject of a famous folk ballad). While away, the first album’s producer, Tom Wilson — inspired by the Byrds’ folk-rock hit Mr. Tambourine Man — overdubbed the original version of Sounds of Silence with guitars, drums and bass in the simple, slightly shambolic, but clearly electric style that another core folkie, Bob Dylan, had just introduced. One side of Dylan’s 1965 album Bringing it All Back Home hinted at this new folk-rock direction(Subterranean Homesick Blues, Maggie’s Farm) and his hit single later that year, Like a Rolling Stone, drove the point home. All of that work was produced by Tom Wilson.

Even more fun: Wilson’s retrofitting of Sounds of Silence took place without the knowledge of Simon or Garfunkel.

In January 1966, this rocked-up version of Sounds of Silence reached #1 on the Billboard chart, whereupon Simon scurried home from England in order that he, Art and Tom Wilson could set about rocking up another raft of existing Simon-penned folks songs in the same manner, songs we now know as part of the Sounds of Silence album: I Am a Rock, We Got a Groovy Thing Going Baby, Richard Corey, Blessed, etc.

There are plenty of unreconstructed folk ballads on this second album: Leaves That Are Green, April Come She Will, the inimitable and aforementioned Kathy’s Song. But it was Wilson who first discovered and demonstrated the flexibility, the rocked-up capabilities of these songs. Nearly 50 years on, with Paul Simon bowing out, PFOM will drive the point home.