MOKB Video Premiere : French Camp : “Way To Your Heart”

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French Camp is a Brooklyn-based band comprised of singer Owen Beverly along with Benji Lee, Edward Barton, Andrew Doherty. Beverly is originally from Jackson, Mississippi and named the band after a boarding school in the Mississippi delta not too far from there. The have two records to their name with the latest being Odd Particle that was released earlier this month. During the creation of the record, they drew inspiration from Roy Orbison and many of his signature trademarks can be heard in the lyrics, guitar tones, and vocals.

Their newest single is the melodic “Way To Your Heart.” According to Beverly, the song was written shortly after a friend had passed and is referenced with some of the imagery in the new video for the song, although they tried to keep the visual “a little more playful and ironic.” The depicts a heart surgery along with Beverly running throughout the clip as a cathartic release while tossing aside objects that go along with the lyrics of the song. Find it below along with a stream of the album in full.

Song : Smith Westerns : “3am Spiritual”

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Smith Westerns’ highly-anticipated new album, Soft Will, will be dropping on June 25th via Mom + Pop Music. The first single was the wistful teenage anthem “Varsity,” now we get the disillusioned cut “3am Spritual.” It was the first song written for the new LP and discusses the feelings involved with heavy touring and trying to get things back to normal after returning home. Stream it below.

Song : Splashh : “Today (Fade Away)”

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90’s rock revivalists Splashh will be releasing their debut LP, Comfort, on June 4th via Kanine Records in the US, but in the meantime the band has given everyone a taste to get them through with a single “All I Wanna Do” b/w “Today (Fade Away).” After hearing the a-side, we now get a stream of the equally strong b-side “Today (Fade Away),” which will also serve as the first single from the debut album. Stream it below.

Song : Phoenix : “Trying To Be Cool” (Silver Swans Remix)

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Bankrupt!, the latest from Phoenix has been out for a bit now and one of the standout tracks is “Trying To Be Cool” that the band has been parading around to live television performances. Recently, San Francisco’s Silver Swans revealed their atmospheric reworking of the song taking away some of the “cool” vibes of the song in favor of a more relaxed vibe. You can stream the remix below and download it here.

Video : London Grammar : “Wasting My Young Years”

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London trio London Grammar released their first video for the beautifully morose “Wasting My Young Years.” In the visual, we see bodies floating around, most likely to symbolize in someway floating through life and wasting away their time on this planet to fit with the song theme. It is gorgeously shot in black and white with shakey camera movement. The Wasting My Young Years EP will be out June 16th through Metal & Dust Recordings.

Song + Video : MØ : “Waste of Time”

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Denmark’s MØ is proving once more she is no one trick pony with now her fourth song released “Waste of Time.” While she has been lumped in with several other female indie pop artists of the moment, MØ is slowly separating herself with the consistent quality of her songs to date. Listen to the track and watch a video for the song below. “Waste of Time” will be released on the 7th July 2013 through Chess Club Records/RCA Victor.

Song : The Weeknd : “Kiss Land”

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Recently, we got the title of The Weeknd’s new album named Kiss Land. Well, we didn’t have to wait too long to get new music from the release. Abel Tesfaye has dropped the title track to the forthcoming album. Don’t fret, it is another great one from him. A 7-minute song with all sorts of twists and turns that makes it feel like two songs in one. Listen below.

MOKB Premiere : Duquette Johnston : “Cherry Blossom”

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Birmingham, AL native Duquette Johnston has seen a lot during his time. He was a founding member of such bands as Verbena and Cutgrass and shared the stage with such influential acts as Pavement, Foo Fighters, Bonnie Prince Billy, The Strokes, Jesus Lizard, amony many more. On May 21st, he will be releasing his fourth album, Rabbit Runs A Destiny, via Pipe and Gun / Communicating Vessels.

On this record, we see a departure from the more straightforward, acoustic approach with more emotive uses of drums, strings, and vocal harmonies to create a fuller sound. Much of the credit for this departure can be attributed to Armand Margjeka who was brought to help with production, a first for Johnston. It has paid off, as he has recieved such recent accolades as being selected by NPR as an “Artist to Watch” and Paste Magazine highlighting him as an Alabama artist to keep your eye on. The latest single from the forthcoming LP is “Cherry Blossom.” The track seamlessly bridges the gap between Americana of yesteryear with the more robust musical sounds permeating throughout the modern musical landscape. Find it below.