The Telephone Numbers: Scarecrow II [Album Review]

The Telephone Numbers
Scarecrow II
Slumberland Records [2025]

“San Francisco jangle with heart, craft, and just the right dose of melancholy.”

Album Overview: The Telephone Numbers are a San Francisco indie outfit led by songwriter Thomas Rubenstein, born from the city’s bustling DIY scene. Sharing members with The Reds, Pinks & Purples and The Umbrellas, they’ve quietly become one of the Bay Area’s most beloved underground acts. Their early singles and debut album helped define the region’s melodic pop sound—built on honesty, craft, and word-of-mouth rather than algorithms or hype.

Their second record, Scarecrow II, marks a clear step forward in both songwriting and scope. Recorded with Alicia Vanden Heuvel at Speakeasy Studios, the album broadens the palette without losing focus. Violin, trumpet, organ, and mellotron all weave through the mix, enhancing the melodies instead of crowding them. It’s warm, unguarded, and deeply human—a modern love letter to classic indie pop.

Musical Style: The band’s sound lives somewhere between the shimmer of ’80s jangle pop and the heart of ’90s college rock. Chiming guitars, steady mid-tempos, and stacked harmonies give Scarecrow II a timeless charm. Subtle touches—acoustic strums, gentle slide guitar, layered vocals—add texture and warmth. It’s the kind of record that feels instantly familiar yet still full of surprise.

Evolution of Sound: Compared to their debut, Scarecrow II reveals a band more confident in arrangement and tone. Where earlier songs leaned on pure guitar pop charm, this album incorporates a fuller range of instruments and moods. Collaborations with Bay Area peers—such as Tony Molina and members of The Aislers Set—add depth and nuance, hinting at a collective spirit that ties the local scene together.

Artists with Similar Fire: The Telephone Numbers share the poetic heart of The Go-Betweens, the chiming grace of The Church, and the wistful beauty of The Dream Academy—that same sense of longing wrapped in melody and light. There’s also a connection here with Rain Parade, early R.E.M., and The Lemonheads in the way they balance bright hooks with emotional undercurrents. Among today’s artists, Ducks Ltd. channel that jangly immediacy with sharp, heartfelt songwriting, while Papercuts bring a cinematic warmth that mirrors The Telephone Numbers’ blend of closeness and atmosphere.

Pivotal Tracks: “Battle of Blythe Road” spins literary references into a bittersweet meditation on ambition and rivalry. “Be Right Down” captures Rubenstein and Morgan Stanley’s guitars ringing like distant bells, while “Ebb Tide” swells with organ and slide guitar, evoking the golden age of ’90s alternative radio. The closing track, “Pulling Punchlines,” bursts with brass, harmonies and optimism—a full-band blend that leaves the air buzzing.

Lyrical Strength: Rubenstein writes with both head and heart—bookish but never stiff, reflective but never detached. His lyrics wrestle with hope, exhaustion, and the everyday push to keep creating. Rather than hide behind metaphor, he uses literary and historical nods to highlight the shared messiness of being human.

Final Groove: Scarecrow II feels like the sound of a band hitting its stride—smarter, sharper, and more self-assured without losing its warmth. The record captures that rare intersection of craftsmanship and sincerity, turning familiar jangle into something quietly transcendent. If this is the path forward, The Telephone Numbers are just getting started.

THE TELEPHONE NUMBERS LINKS
Instagram | Bandcamp | Slumberland Records