Azwel – Lives In Motion

Azwel – Lives In Motion – Album Review

Here’s another one of those names I’m always stoked to see pop back up on these pages of ours!  We’ve been listening to Azwel for about seven years now, and this whole project has continued to get better as time has gone by.  Considering Azwel started on solid ground to begin with, you can imagine how any band or artist that would continue to evolve from there would be like the proverbial cherry on top.  I’m confident that I’ll always be interested in new Azwel music & as far as I’m concerned, you should be too.

“Start Of The Story,” is a brilliant gateway into this record.  If it’s been a while since you last listened to Azwel, then it provides that immediate hit of the specialness you connected to last time, while also providing you with a continued update on the overall sound.  Lead-singer/songwriter/all-the-essentials you tend to hear in the recordings, Jason Perrillo, has always been a master of his craft, but he’s also been entirely committed to making things sound as good as possible with each iteration of his band’s releases, and “Start Of The Story” is pretty much all the proof you’d need to know he’s got Azwel sounding as fantastic as ever for Lives In Motion.  It makes sense…I like to think most of us continue to evolve as the artists we are when doing what we love, but the sheer scope and scale of his ambitious songwriting on this opener and the way he’s executed it all from start to finish really felt like he’s made sure this record is going to really hit a homerun with the audience out there.  The hooks work great, the lyricism has depth, and the guitar work is seriously enticing when it patterns itself alongside the melody.  Add in the fireworks of the finale to this first cut, and I tell ya…Azwel’s giving you every reason to listen.

A gifted man when it comes to the art of songwriting, Jason’s crafted a genuinely sweet tune with “In Defense Of These Two.”  Credit where credit is due, even from these first two tracks alone, you can tell that he’s truly pushed himself further creatively, opting to not just settle for any kind of one dimensional hook to build his material around, and instead making these large, multi-faceted tunes that provide you with multiple reasons to tune in to every song along the way.  “In Defense Of These Two” felt like the kind of track that you really want to pay full attention too…there’s nothing obvious here, yet there’s an undeniable level of accessibility that works so wonderfully well that we should all be able to universally agree on a song like this.  Considering that our planet has so precious little it can universally agree on these days, doesn’t that sound like a nice thing?  Well…trust me when I say there’s a very good chance that everybody tuning into “In Defense Of These Two” will come out with an opinion strongly in favor of it.  I don’t see what we could disagree on…the vocal melody is endearing & the music is spot-on Azwel.  See what I did there?  Yeah…you see it.  I know you see it.  Follow me for more clever musical puns daily.

So…I mean, to be as crystal clear as possible for the people in the back that might not be familiar with everything I’ve written about Azwel throughout the years, I’ve always felt like Perrillo is fantastic.  Not only is he a visionary talent with his ideas, but he’s always been excellent to listen to, full stop.  Whether it’s his musicianship, or his voice, the dude can’t seem to help putting out quality tune after quality tune, which makes it real easy to listen to Azwel’s music.  As I listened to “The Life She Promised,” I was truly impressed by the sway of the melody and the sparklingly seamless duet he’s created for this song.  I’ve always felt that the right collaborations tend to bring out some of the best you’ll hear from any artist or band you’re listening to, and “The Life She Promised” is a stellar example of that.  Not only does Jason’s featured guest sound absolutely incredible, but taking this on as a duet really sounded like it brought his own vocals to a whole new level as well.  That’s what you WANT to hear in a duet if you ask me.  Like I always tell you – art inspires art – and this song is a highlight example of that in action.  As many times as I’ve spun this record over this past week, I think “The Life She Promised” is right up there with the very best of the best on Lives In Motion if you ask me.  I love it because it IS art…like, that’s undeniable to me…but then like, factor in how authentically against the grain a song like this really is too.  Sure there are comparable sounds throughout history, but there’s not a whole lot out there like this right now.  To me, it takes a level of artistic courage to go after a sound that not everyone is currently making, but it’s even more commendable when you make something as convincing as this is to get you listening.  Like, maybe this ISN’T your style of music at the moment…but get ready to say that it WASN’T instead.

As far as “Low Tide Temptation” goes…I’m mostly onboard.  Let’s be clear – coming after the perfection we just experienced on “The Life She Promised” was going to be tough on whatever might have come next, and to be as fair as I can be, I think “Low Tide Temptation” holds its own about as well as any song might have been able to do in this particular spot in the lineup.  I’ll be upfront with you and say that I wasn’t fully sold on the verses or the idea that maybe another couple runs at it could have gotten a bit more out of the way Jason sings it, but at the same time, I felt like it might just be the pattern of the melody that wasn’t resonating with me quite as much this time around.  What I did love without question, was the way that “Low Tide Temptation” really sprang to life with the colorful character inside its chorus.  Any of the issues I might have felt were a factor here were essentially relegated to the verses overall…everything else seemed to be right where it should be in the main hooks of the chorus.  “Low Tide Temptation” has a bit of unevenness to it in that regard, sure, but what’s good about it is still great.

There we go…that’s what I’m looking for right there.  As “Nifty Fifty” slid into gear, the delightful melody at the core of its verses sounded like it was designed spot-on for the real strengths of Jason’s vocals.  The whole song sounds so freakin’ smooth when it comes right down to it…it’s a perfect blend of gentle melody and bold, radiant parts in the music.  While the verses are great, and could arguably even be the main strengths of this entire song, let’s not gloss over all the awesomeness you’ll hear in the chorus, the killer solo(s) he’s added into this song, or how accessible this track really is to everyone listening.  “Nifty Fifty” pretty much has it all…it’s lively, it’s inspired…it’s so naturally catchy and unforced that it works an undeniable charm on you from the very start, and really makes the a cappella ending an insightful finale.  For a brief moment, it’s like you’d expect Azwel to shift into a cover of something like “Happy Together,” by The Turtles or maybe something by Ben Folds, but rest assured, in that next moment you’ll realize this is all pure, unfiltered Azwel doin’ what Azwel does best.  Lively Pop/Rock that is of equal proportion, “Nifty Fifty” is a quality tune that has just as much cool stuff happening in the background/production – but you’ll get to that eventually.  At the start, it’s that sweet & uplifting catchiness and sing-along vibes that’ll get you listening, but once you’ve finally sung your heart out you’ll notice the real depth & details.

Azwel has always found clever ways to make audibly pretty tunes that’ll dazzle your heart just as much as your ears, and “Railway East” is an excellent example of that.  Jason will often find smart ways to add more color and contrast to the sound through his lyricism, which gives his music more substance to it.  More often than not, the core of the sentiment will be a spot-on match for the sound of his songs, but make no mistake, if you’re listening closely, even to something that appears to be as dreamy and sweet as “Railway East” is, he’s still got something to say & knows how to write lyricism that’s not merely surface-level stuff.  Much like I felt about “The Life She Promised” earlier on, “Railway East” works with a much more throwback type of sound that is found occupying less spaces out there in the world today, but make no mistake, that should never be how we measure the validity of art and music.  If anything, we should be giving real credit to bands like Azwel that are able to bring us back to such timeless styles of sound, and appreciating how naturally it slides right into our ears.  There’s something truly magical about “Railway East” that I think I’d never get enough of…it’s classic…it’s charming…it’s really beautiful.

“Wishing Well” is a track that I felt like I was a little bit more on the fence about.  I’m still on that same fence as I write this…I think?  Like, that’s the thing…when you’re comparing a band like Azwel to itself, it might be fair to say that a track like “Wishing Well” could potentially feel like you need a bit more out of it…but like, if you were comparing this song to most other artists & bands out there, you’d probably take this track every single time.  So…you know…it’s kind of like a strange compliment in a way…Jason’s done such a great job with so much of the material all throughout Lives In Motion, that whatever song you might feel isn’t quite your favorite in the lineup, is STILL a really damn good tune.  I think when all was said & done and I’d had several tours through Lives In Motion before writing about here for you now, it was really only “Low Tide Temptation” that I felt like I questioned the performance a little…the rest was more of a matter of personal taste & did I like this thing or that, but the quality was entirely consistent.  I’d be the first to support you if you felt like “Wishing Well” was your favorite song on the record, because Azwel puts the kind of effort in that would give any cut the opportunity to be the song that would catch your attention the most.  We’ll go into this more a little bit later on down the road in this review, but suffice it to say, comparing Azwel to Azwel, I like “Wishing Well” enough, but I’ve also heard this record from start to finish & from my perspective, it’s a good song that is surrounded by great ones.

I simply think that there are moments in music that you can’t help but hear how special they truly are, and that’s something that happens right from the very get-go.  Like, the moment that “Two Wrongs Don’t Make A Right” started up, I could feel that tingle in my ears from the second it started – I knew that this was going to be one of those cuts that would resonate with me right away.  So whereas a track like “Wishing Well” might take a few more spins to convince you, I guess what I’m saying is that we all know the kind of song that speaks strongly on its own behalf to our ears as individuals and sells itself, like “Two Wrongs Don’t Make A Right” was like for me whenever I listened to it this past week.  As much as I enjoyed the verses to begin with, hearing Azwel take this song from great to even greater as the chorus kicked in…I mean…that’s the kind of highlight that gets me outta bed every morning hoping to find, you know?  I love the amount of thought and care he’s put into this album, and hearing the absolutely gorgeous way he’s finished “Two Wrongs Don’t Make A Right” with an instrumental final minute or so, where the melody is almost like a memory fading in the background is true musical genius.  I love the way this song starts up and kind of has this like…fade-in of sorts.  It becomes clearer as it comes into focus and snaps into place, and I dig that.  There are a great many tracks that I really enjoy throughout this album, but yeah…I have a real affection for “Two Wrongs Don’t Make A Right” and the melody that Azwel is working with here.  Lyrics are compelling too, there’s no doubt about that…but I am absolutely, 100% ENAMORED with the melody Jason’s written for the main chorus hooks of this cut.  Yeah, you read that right – ENAMORED folks.  I could sit here and listen to his sing this song all day long.

By the time you get to “This Is War” on Lives In Motion, you can feel that gentle rocking happening like waves as you make through this new set of songs, with the most significant highlights feeling like they come in every second tune, but like I alluded to earlier, it’d be impossible to call any of this material any kind of let down.  We’re all gonna have our favorites, like what we like and love what we love, and if that means it’s nearly every second cut on a fifteen track album, believe me when I tell ya that’s still cracking the bat way over the national average, no matter where you live or what you’re listening to.  I like “This Is War” – and there ain’t nothing wrong with that at the end of the day, right?  Look at it this way…whatever your favorite song might be…whether it’s something like “Two Wrongs Don’t Make A Right” or “The Life She Promised” – whatever you might choose – would an entire album filled with that kind of strength still come out sounding that way from track to track?  I don’t think it would!  In fact, I think the ebb and flow you hear in a lineup of songs like this is specifically because the material is as strong as it is straight across the board.  Your favorites poke their heads up just enough so that you can discern them and pick them out by name, but that by no means suggests the rest of the material doesn’t measure up closely enough to what you like best – like those next waves I was referring to, the songs you like are beside the ones that you love most.  What you want to avoid at all costs is some kind of tidal wave followed by a mere ripple, and Jason has taken great care with his album to ensure that’s never the case.  Obviously there’s no problem or issues with hearing another good song, which is exactly what “This Is War” is to me, but I do think that when you’re hearing undeniable greatness, you can’t help but notice that extra ounce of magic.  This track really has one of the toughest spots to fill in the entire set, and I think it’s fair to say that Perrillo finds a way for this song to hold its own to the best of its potential.

More adherent to a pattern than you’ll find him on most tunes, the design of “At The End Of Your Life” works largely on repetition in its design, but in the right way that makes an impact without feeling like it’s stretching the idea too far.  I liked the lyrical imagery Jason uses here in his observational style of songwriting, and how his melodies can quite often induce a feeling that goes beyond the words.  For a brief moment in the breakdown I thought he was going to pull that classic move of busting out a few bars of Rap in the middle of it all, but thankfully he avoided that trap and instead gives you a brief burst of what’s more like a short moment of Spoken Word…I can live with that.  I love how rich and robust the guy is able to get the low-end bass-lines to stand out in the balance of many of the songs on this record, and “At The End Of Your Life” definitely deserves a shout-out in that regard here.  Plus, the way that Jason sings the hooks and has his voice trailing into the music…that’s another highlight if you ask me.  He’s got a few great reasons to make sure you’re listening to this song…I might not think it’s quite up there with the best of the best perhaps, but that’s again largely due to the reason that excellence is in abundance with what Azwel creates.  “At The End Of Your Life” is a quality cut that is practically steeped in fantasy as far as the atmosphere and vibe is concerned sound-wise…and at the end of the day, doesn’t that still seem like a stellar reason to tune in and listen?  Azwel has a powerful grip on how to go about creating throwback sounds in the right way, where they sound completely fresh and new again.  There have been moments that remind me of The Turtles, Roxy Music, Spandau Ballet and more all over the lineup of songs on this record, but rather impressively, nothing from what’s currently out there really.  Obviously there can be good and bad in that…maybe it’s harder for Azwel to find space out there on playlists, I honestly don’t know…I would hope that instead, Jason is making the kind of music that pays homage to his own musical heroes, while opening the hearts and minds of listeners to styles of music that they’ll truly love, and go on to discover where the roots of the Azwel sound really come from.

The album’s two shortest tunes are featured back-to-back with “Side Effects” and “Chateau Of Hollow Prayers” hovering close to each side of two & a half-minutes in total length.  One of the things that I’ve always appreciated about Azwel’s music is that Perrillo can make a memorable tune out of any size song, so even in the shorter spaces, you still might end up finding one of your favorite songs on his albums.  Give him more space, and he’ll simply find other remarkable ways of keeping you entertained.  He doesn’t just settle for repetition…he finds ways to make whatever comes next, be it the next part of a song, or the next cut in the lineup, sound fresh and new.  He’s been “feeling spacey,” even when he hasn’t given himself that much room, but he’s pretty much at his enchanting and charming best on this tinier tune.  I know I’ve said it a bunch so far, and I’m gonna say it again – I love how much an album like this seems to not care whatsoever about swimming upstream.  Here’s the thing…you can find yourself in that very same position, and not have music that’s nearly as polished, detailed, well thought-out or played half as well as what you’ll hear on Lives In Motion.  The reality is, Jason’s put himself in the right position to win over anyone out there listening, because he’s working with an irresistible and timeless style of sound that he not only clearly loves to listen to himself, but also has an innate reverence for.

Like I was saying earlier – listen to how different “Chateau Of Hollow Prayers” is compared to “Side Effects” right before it…they’re damn near polar opposites in many ways.  Obviously it’s not like Azwel decided to go Metal here, but you get what I mean.  “Side Effects” had that full-band type of feel to its sound, whereas “Chateau Of Hollow Prayers” felt much more like an intimate moment on piano that you were lucky enough to be a fly on the wall to witness…it’s as if you caught Jason on his own playing in an empty room and silently observed as not to disturb such a special and sincere melody in progress.  A little more on the sorrowful side of the bittersweet sounds in his catalog, “Chateau Of Hollow Prayers” is somewhat of an anomaly on this album, but man is it a completely welcome tune.  This is daring art – that’s what “Chateau Of Hollow Prayers” sounds like to me.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ll sit here and listen to this guy come up with something catchy all day long like he does on so many of the other tunes all throughout this album, but hearing him stretch his wings a bit further creatively on this song felt like a really special moment in his own evolution as an artist.  If he’s looking for a nod of approval or some kind of sign of encouragement to keep going down this kind of avenue, look no further than this face of mine right here…I’d go as far as to say that for some, “Chateau Of Hollow Prayers” is going to be THE highlight of all highlights on this record, because that’s how much of a significant breakthrough this sounds like.  It’s not just a win for Lives In Motion…it could be part of the Azwel blueprint going forward.

Mmm hmm!  Yes indeed!  Do I love “Used?”  You bet I do.  Like…the sheer gravitational pull of the verses alone could pull the freakin’ moon right down to the Earth…it sounds AWESOME to me.  Then the stylistic vibes and swagger he adds into the chorus…you gotta love it!  How could you NOT love it?  This is kind of what I was getting at earlier…when you’ve really got something, you can practically feel it in your bones as a performer, and on the other side of the speakers, we can literally hear you feeling it in the performance, you feel me?  Jason sounds undeniably inspired as he plays and sings “Used,” and it’s not that he doesn’t in others too, but again, what separates his standards of great from the greater, is only the tiniest of aspects, but those can still make all the difference in the final results of what we listen to.  “Used” is one of the easiest songs I’ve found to like or love in 2026, and I can’t imagine that I’ll be alone in that assessment.  In fact, if Azwel is debating which song might make for the best candidate as a lead-single to represent this record or get the full-video treatment, I’d be taking a real long look at “Used” as the most likely candidate to entice people in.  There is just too much going right here to ignore.  From the performance to the production, “Used” has got the juice…if there’s anything Jason could have done better here, whatever that might be has fully escaped my ears.  All I’m hearing is a song that I continually wanted to turn UP every time that I heard it.

The last third of Azwel’s new record really took everything up a level, at least from my perspective.  What had started off on completely solid ground way back at track one, goes on to reach extraordinary heights as he heads towards the end.  Like…I think we can all agree that “You’re In Luck” is one of the most gorgeous songs that any of us have heard in this past decade, yeah?  When Jason’s largely left to his own devices and somewhat forced to carry the weight of a song more squarely on his shoulders as a result of having less instruments involved, or a more sparse melodic design, he always rises to the occasion with confidence, as he should.  “You’re In Luck” is a truly exquisite and enchanting song in this set-list that I’m certain no person could take their ears off of…it’s fascinating, you know what I mean?  You sit and listen to this song with your full attention, because it earns it through the use of space and smart songwriting.  As for what he does choose to include in the instrumentation alongside his voice, every piece added in feels spectacularly intentional, purposeful, and meaningful.  “You’re In Luck” becomes this remarkably mesmerizing moment in time that you simply won’t want to take your ears off of.  Perrillo has reconfirmed himself as one of the finest artists out there in the independent scene if you ask me…the material throughout this entire album has been nothing short of spectacular to listen to, even in the quietest moments like “You’re In Luck.”  These melodies speak straight to the heart, and play by play, you can’t help but continually fall in love with the songs you’ll find on Lives In Motion over time.  He’s flashed a little Yorke-like brilliance at times through his bolder ideas & most potent vocals for sure.

With a rich & full-bodied low-end sound in the gentle atmosphere of “Night Takes Over” as the official finale of Lives In Motion, Azwel honestly couldn’t have ended this record any more perfectly than this.  In a very rare instrumental moment, Jason wisely lets the music speak for itself at the very end of his new record, and what a masterstroke of brilliance that truly was!  “Night Takes Over” has absolutely everything it needs and not an ounce more…and I’m loving that fact.  How many times have you heard me say on these pages of ours that your number one duty is to do right by the song and nothing more?  To do what the moment in your music is genuinely calling out for…that’s the whole kit and caboodle, as they say.  And like I’ve always mentioned as well, if you’re adding something in that doesn’t need to be there, chances are, you’re probably taking something away in the process…so it’s absolutely crucial to really find the heart of what your song needs and give it exactly that, just like Azwel does with “Night Takes Over.”  Jason’s got such a remarkable natural singing voice that I’m sure he could verifiably contribute to just about any song that would ever come his way – so to hear an artist with talent like that recognize that this last melody is somehow better suited without any vocals at all, tells me that he’s really considered what his music needs at all times.  He’s not just going through the motions, or adding in the traditional stuff to a song’s DNA simply because that’s what most musicians would do – he’s taking a highly measured approach that really makes sure he gets the best he can out of each cut you hear.  In this case, I think he made a seriously insightful call to remove himself from his vocal duties, even though I’m sure he would have come up with something awesome…I’m stoked he let his stunning musicianship have a dedicated moment in the spotlight, because it completely deserves to have one.  Everything about “Night Takes Over” felt right…the soulfully sweet melody is beautiful, the idea works, the whole sound is like the perfect notes to go out on, and a powerful reason to repeat it all over again at the same time.  I don’t know if it hurts the guy’s street cred to love this song as much as I do without having his vocals in the center of the spotlight, but I’m tellin’ ya direct – this cut speaks volumes on behalf of what he’s capable of without even using a single word.  Perrillo has always found impressive ways to let his music speak for him, which is important in the context of a concept record like this, but what he’s got here at the end of his new record might very well be the most special spin he’s put on that so far.  I completely love “Night Takes Over” and the role that it plays in this lineup of songs, and every time it came on, I wanted to go back to the start for another spin.

Really well done Azwel.  Lives In Motion comes out officially this September 1^st  – until then, make sure you’re staying connected with Azwel and finding out all the details you can from the official website at:  https://www.azwel.com

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