2021 was an insane year for jangle pop — my AOTY list included records by Quivers, The Telephone Numbers, Chime School, The Umbrellas, and Massage. 2025 seems determined to top it. In just the past few weeks, we’ve had incredible debuts from The Cords and Josie, plus that gorgeous new Massage LP last Friday. But I doubt we’ll hear a finer jangle pop record anytime soon than Scarecrow II by The Telephone Numbers.
If you asked me to explain its appeal, I’d say all of it. And if you asked me to elaborate, I honestly wouldn’t know where to begin. The Telephone Numbers — fronted by the ridiculously gifted Thomas Rubenstein and joined this time by Bay Area peers from The Umbrellas, The Reds, Pinks & Purples, Neutrals, and The Love-Birds — make you fall in love with music again.
Like The Ballad of Doug, this record feels alive with timeless melodies and superb songwriting. You can hear the lineage — The Go-Betweens, Big Star, The Church, The Byrds, The Lemonheads — and you can feel the influence of their home base. This album fits comfortably alongside releases by Blues Lawyer, Chime School, Ryli, The Reds, Pinks & Purples, Whitney’s Playland, and Galore (and yes, that list could go on). But Scarecrow II still stands out. It’s rich, textured, and unafraid to stretch out. It’s an accomplished, warm-sounding record — a humble victory lap for a band that never stopped believing in the perfect pop song.
Out now on Slumberland Records.
Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Slumberland