There are so many great pop labels around these days it’s becoming difficult to keep track of ‘em all. The good news is that there are several viable forces you can always count on to release great music. I am, of course, thinking of my all-time favorite label, Labrador Records. But in the case of Ezra Furman & The Harpoons (MySpace), that label is Minty Fresh; for you pop fans out there, this is definitely a label with which to make an acquaintance.

Written by Fense
The opening to “Persist” reminds me a bit of early Portishead. It’s got the hefty bass and pleasantly depressing strings. But All India Radio (MySpace) is nowhere near the Trip Hop that Portishead’s music fit into. Instead, the band fits a dark and dreamy pop mold that dabbles lightly in folk.