The Telephone Numbers have emerged as a cornerstone of San Francisco’s creatively abundant indie music ecosystem, a collective project whose membership overlaps with vital acts like The Reds, Pinks & Purples and The Umbrellas. Their sophomore album, ‘Scarecrow II’ signifies a substantial artistic maturation, successfully distilling rootsier jangle, emotional depth and melodic sophistication into a work of immediate warmth and resonant vitality.
This collection of ten tracks transcends mere homage to heroes like The Go-Betweens and Rain Parade, functioning instead as a sophisticated treatise on classicist pop structure, firmly rooted in the tradition of mid-’80s to mid-’90s American college rock. Lead songwriter Thomas Rubenstein anchors the project with his signature bright, ringing guitar work, complementing earnest lyrical introspection with arrangements that are both rich and restrained.
The album’s sonic clarity and depth are a testament to its careful construction. Recorded by the seemingly omnipresent Alicia Vanden Heuvel (The Aislers Set) at Speakeasy Studios and mixed by Chris Cohen, the production quality marks a clear step forward from their debut. The core band, featuring Morgan Stanley (The Umbrellas) on vocals and guitar, Phil Lantz (Neutrals), and Charlie Ertola, is subtly augmented by a constellation of Bay Area collaborators. These include Anna Hillburg (trumpet), Andy Pastalaniec (organ), K. Dylan Erdich (violin/mellotron), and Tony Molina (guitar). This collaborative depth introduces brass, strings, and vintage keys, which enhance the melodic foundation without ever cluttering the mix, underscoring the communal spirit driving the fertile local scene. ‘Scarecrow II’ thrives on its impeccable balance between shimmering hooks and intellectual curiosity. Rubenstein’s lyrical strength lies in his ability to address themes of anxiety, creative struggle, and worldly weariness with both a bookish wit and genuine emotional transparency.
Photo by Arvel Hernandez
“Battle of Blythe Road” is a prime example of this duality, a slow-building jangler that cleverly maps the competitive pressures of the music scene onto the infamous mystical rivalry between Aleister Crowley and *William Butler Yeats*—a sophisticated nod to literary history wrapped in a wistful melody. “Be Right Down” showcases the band’s core strengths, with Rubenstein’s sincere delivery boosted by Stanley’s heavenly backing vocals over a mesmerizing, repeating guitar figure. The mid-tempo “Ebb Tide” utilizes ghostly slide guitars and organ swells to support a pleading chorus, evoking the golden era of melodic ’90s alternative radio. The closing track, “Pulling Punchlines,” is a communal triumph, swirling with anxious nostalgia before bursting into life with Hillburg’s brass accents and the interwoven vocals of Stanley and Rubenstein.
Compared to earlier efforts, ‘Scarecrow II’ reveals a band more confident in broadening its harmonic and instrumental palette. The introduction of violin and mellotron in particular provides a layer of melancholic grandeur, recalling the atmospheric textures like The Dream Academy. The album successfully integrates these chamber pop touches while maintaining the immediate, infectious energy of power-pop. It is a record that feels instantly familiar—like discovering a long-lost tape of a favorite college radio staple—yet possesses a refined maturity that situates the band firmly within the vanguard of contemporary melodic indie pop.
‘Scarecrow II’ is a clear breakthrough, demonstrating how traditionalist pop structures can be imbued with fresh vitality. The Telephone Numbers have not sought to escape the anxieties of the present, but rather to wrap them in an honest, beautifully crafted admission of shared experience, cementing their status as essential contributors to the modern indie pop canon.
Please visit Bandcamp or Slumberland Records to preview or purchase.
