When he's not cutting air on a half-pipe as a pro skateboarder, Travis Graves crafts his own sentimental, indie-inspired songs under the Mt. Egypt moniker. He's earnest and romantic without falling into the new millennium's emo-rock class. A fellow skater, Jason Dill, connected Mt. Egypt with the folks at Record Collection (The Walkmen, Eisley, Har Mar Superstar) before 2002 came to a close. His debut album, Battening the Hatches, appeared the following summer. ~ MacKenzie Wilson