AMERICAN EGYPT

Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and producer Mike Viola first earned acclaim on an international basis as the leader of the New York-based Candy Butchers. After 3 major label releases with the Candy Butchers, Viola officially went solo with 2005's Just Before Dark. A live record performed solo (and without studio retouching) at popular Los Angeles venue Largo, Just Before Dark helped establish Viola as an in-demand songsmith. In the years since, Viola has written and/or produced songs for the likes of Ryan Adams, Mandy Moore, Rachael Yamagata, Panic! At The Disco, Matt Nathanson, Andrew McMahon, Tim Christensen, Gin Wigmore, and LOLO. He has also found success as a composer for film and television projects, penning original music for Get Him To The Greek and the Academy Award-nominated Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. His first new album in 6 years, The American Egypt is Viola's fifth full-length effort, a proper follow-up to 2012's Acousto De Perfecto. Recorded entirely at Viola's home studio, The American Egypt is a 10-song, 43-minute whirlwind of truth and melody. Aside from cameos by Rilo Kiley's Jason Boesel, Dawes' Griff Goldsmith, Vulfpeck's Theo Katzman, and James Taylor keyboardist Larry Goldings, everything you hear on the album was performed by Viola, who also produced and mixed it.