Ryan Cassata's "Healing" Serves as a Beautiful Comfort to Us on 'Greetings from Echo Park' - Atwood Magazine

      After battling chronic illness for the past year, Ryan Cassata has returned stronger than ever. His latest album, ‘Greetings from Echo Park,’ serves as a cathartic experience and a heartfelt prayer—an intimate and unvarnished testament to survival, clarity, and the transformative power of music.

      Stream: ‘Greetings from Echo Park’ – Ryan Cassata

      The year 2024 proved to be one of the most challenging for Ryan Cassata. He had to pause his career to address his Lyme disease diagnosis, which brought his previously flourishing career to a complete halt. "In 2024, I didn't really tour much. I did a few one-off shows, but I couldn't tour with my band. I spent most of that year basically stuck at home while undergoing IV treatments." This debilitating condition left him unable to lift more than 10 pounds and often confined to his bed—leading Cassata to seek comfort in the only way he knew: music. "When I wrote these songs, I didn't think I would release them. I was creating because I needed to soothe myself with my own music, as I couldn't connect with any other music."

      Fortunately for both him and his listeners, these personal reflections were formally released as Greetings from Echo Park, now available on Kill Rock Stars, and it's Cassata's strongest album yet.

      The album opens with "I feel like throwing up," which poignantly captures the challenges of living with a chronic illness. It's musically upbeat, misleading listeners regarding his struggles with even the simplest tasks. The narrative shifts between Cassata's friends performing everyday activities, such as moving houses, while he remains at home in discomfort. The catchy chorus resonates strongly:

      My friends, they

      Will sing this really loud

      But unless a stranger sings it

      I won’t really feel proud

      My friends think that I’m going up

      But I feel like throwing up,

      I feel like throwing up.

      Another highlight, “Scriptures, Scripts, & Bottles,” distills the significant themes of Cassata’s recent years. “This is what I’m leaning on, some form of faith—this is in God’s hands now. I’m doing all I can,” he shares. The mid-tempo track reflects the struggle of survival through medication and faith, offering an eye-opening glimpse into the thoughts of someone at their breaking point. With a somber introduction featuring strummed guitar and Cassata’s soaring vocals, it is instantly captivating. As the song unfolds, the weight of its subject matter intensifies, building into a powerful indie pop anthem.

      I’m doing time

      in waiting room lines

      in frustration

      Emergency signs,

      I wince and I whine

      They give me more medication

      A hard hand to swallow

      Scriptures, scripts and bottles!

      Am I gonna make it?

      I’m getting impatient

      being the mystery patient.

      Moreover, “Scriptures, Scripts, & Bottles” delves into themes of faith: “In the last lyrics of the whole record, I’m pleading with God. I can’t lose any more friends to drug addiction, so I’m saying, ‘God, if you can hear me, let me hold on to what’s left. God, if you can hear me, preserve his breath.’ I think that's a summary of the entire album, as it feels like a prayer—the whole record embodies that essence.” This bold declaration comes from someone with a background in seminary, but Cassata believes this album is “…like a prayer, almost a debate with God, because all I want is for my community to be safe.”

      This faith manifested one day on his way to IV treatments. After being advised by his record label to seek a different sound for the album, Cassata struggled to find a new producer until an unexpected encounter occurred. While rushing to help an elderly man who had fallen, he used strength he hadn’t felt capable of showing recently. Late for his appointment and carried by an adrenaline rush, he ended up speaking with another patient who turned out to be Mark Pelli from Magic!—notably known for the hit “Rude.” Fast forward a week, and they found themselves collaborating on the album, with shared experiences around chronic health and IV therapies infusing the record with genuine empathy.

      The album features the signature Cassata sound—rock imbued with a pop twist that makes it irresistibly engaging. This combination successfully bridges the rock elements from the first half of the album with the pop-influenced, electronic tracks that emerge after the interlude.

      Ultimately, Greetings From Echo Park captures a life seldom documented on record, filled with its struggles, victories, and contradictions. While being diagnosed with Lyme disease could have felt like a death sentence, for Cassata, it has instead paved the way for a renewed life that may be more powerful than ever.

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      :: stream/purchase Greetings from Echo Park here ::

      :: connect with Ryan Cassata here ::

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      Ryan Cassata © Jonah Hend