The Telephone Numbers – Scarecrow II

The Slumberland moniker has acted as a virtual guarantee of quality for several decades now—its roster is basically a who’s who of indie pop.

Having started off in Maryland, the label is now based in Oakland, CA, a mightily convenient location close to the epicentre of the Bay Area’s fertile jangle pop scene. San Francisco has been particularly kind to Slumberland in recent years—Fairweather Friend by The Umbrellas and The Boy Who Ran The Paisley Hotel by Chime School were the label’s strongest offerings in 2024—and the excellent Scarecrow II by the Telephone Numbers looks set to continue the trend this year.

Led by Thomas Rubenstein (who also performs with the Reds, Pinks & Purples), the current iteration of the Telephone Numbers line-up features Morgan Stanley of The Umbrellas on guitar and vocals. Alicia Vanden Heuvel (The Aislers Set) is the producer. Chime School’s Andy Pastalaniec and Tony Molina even pop up on the rousing stand-out, “Pulling Punchlines,” which romps along like Mass Romantic-era New Pornographers. The talent and generosity in this scene is truly enviable, the results consistently compelling.

Other highlights include the insanely infectious “Be Right Down,” the power pop number “This Job Is Killing Me,” and “Telephone Numbers Theme,” which benefits from Stanley’s excellent lead vocal.

Scarecrow II feels like a breakthrough moment for The Telephone Numbers, the sound of a band moving beyond the limitations of a genre and striking out in search of something bigger. It jangles, yes, but it also soars, fizzes, and thrills. Perhaps most crucially, it also embodies the spirit of friendship and collaboration, between a crop of superb musicians who understand how to craft a perfect indie pop song.

Scarecrow II is out now on Slumberland Records.