In stores now: 'Greetings from Echo Park' by Ryan Cassata

In his debut album for the Kill Rock Stars label - Greetings from Echo Park - Ryan Cassata (he/him), performs folk, punk, blues, and pop/punk songs about anxiety, escapism, illness, and transphobia. The album is out now.

Collaborators include Jason Hiller, David Scott Stone (Melvins, LCD Soundsystem), Mark Pelli (MAGIC!). The album art plays homage to Bruce Springsteen's iconic Greetings from Asbury Park.

Partially written and recorded while battling an autoimmune illness and Lyme Disease coinfections, the album serves as both a cathartic release and a deeply personal chronicle of survival. Songs like “a Knack for Overthinking” capture the relentless grip of anxiety, blending emo pop-punk with confessional lyricism. “I’ve got a knack for overthinking, tip me over so you can stop the shout,” Cassata sings, embodying the push-and-pull of intrusive thoughts and self-doubt. Elsewhere, tracks like “i feel like throwing up” reflect on the isolation of sickness, featuring trans youth actors in its accompanying music video to highlight the systemic loneliness queer people often endure.

Ryan Cassata’s music has long been intertwined with activism; he is an award-winning singer-songwriter, actor, performer, published writer, LGBTQ+ activist, and transgender motivational speaker. 

With over 650 performances nationwide and internationally and seven original and critically-acclaimed musical albums, Cassata is proud to be recognized as the first openly-trans performer at the Vans Warped Tour, in addition to featured performances at Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Green Show, Global Pride, and SXSW.