Jason Heath and the Greedy Souls - Packed for Exile

LA based Jason Heath and the Greedy Souls release their new album Packed for Exile on July third. It is an impressive release with a blend of Americana roots and 70's Album Rock. Interestingly, the band's keyboardist is Jason Federici, who is the son of the late E Street Band member Danny Federici. The band may be from the West coast, but Heath's lyrical themes play to the American heartland. The songs deal with emotional, romantic and spiritual struggles. However, this is not an album stuck in some neurotic depression. It is about day to day struggles seen universally throughout the lives of everday people. At times,the album is also upbeat and hopeful, capturing the circadian rythm of the ups and downs of life.

The music is not lost in the message. In fact, the musical arrangement of each song conveys the message of the song as much as the lyrics.  A perfect example is the song "A Fighter's Lullaby", which attempts to infuse hope into pain by using a beautiful melody, that builds from a slow tempo to a culmination that exudes the hope found within the lyrics. "Packed for Exile" is a cohesive collection of songs that delivers what the artist intended.