Djo (pronounced “Joe” after the pseudonymous actor Joe Keery) released his third studio album, The Crux, on April 4, following much anticipation. While its individuality from his last two albums shines, The Crux nevertheless maintains the essence of what is associated to be Djo’s signature style of sound. Rather than a psychedelic synth-rock masterpiece, The Crux is a modern rendition of classic rock, evoking nostalgia in even the youngest listeners.
Starting Off…
The minimalistic intro of “Lonesome Is A State of Mind” kicks off The Crux, though it quickly leads into the more maximalist, Magical Mystery Tour-esque sound that permeates the rest of the album. Flutes in the background of the second verse are reminiscent of those that float around in The Beatles’ “The Fool On The Hill,” while Djo himself laments the uncertainty of his future. Furthermore, the crowd of instruments juxtaposes Djo’s analysis of the line between loneliness and independence.
This idea of being bombarded by instrumental complexities was first seen in “Basic Being Basic,” the lead single for this album. With verses echoing the distinctiveness of the 90’s band CAKE, “Basic Being Basic” hits the nail on the head of basic’s self-fulfilling prophecy. According to Djo, the fear of being basic is, in fact, what contributes to someone’s basicness. The song additionally serves as perhaps a reaction to Djo’s recent blow-up, with his 2022 song “End of Beginning” garnering over a billion streams after becoming a trend on TikTok. He says, “I don’t want your money, I don’t care for fame,” crediting fame as an exchange he doesn’t wish to engage in. As if to reiterate this point, the song ends with repeating, “What an empty epitaph that is.”
7 Minutes In
The next track, “Link”—similar to Djo’s sophomore album DECIDE with “Half Life” and then “Fool”—is almost the direct response to “Basic Being Basic.” With a powerful rock presence, “Link” asserts that Djo resembles a prisoner with the level of fame he has. He is but a link breaking out of a well-established chain of celebrity complacency. After hitting the listener with three intense hits, the Fleetwood Mac child of the album, “Potion,” is the outlier of all Djo songs. A sweet guitar arpeggio and subtle strings are the yearning palate cleanser before the second single, “Delete Ya.”
The sequel to Djo’s 2019 hit “Chateau,” “Delete Ya” references the night Djo and his romantic interest met in the former track. “Delete Ya” lyrics “And now I’m back on your couch / frozen peas to my head” mirrors that of “Chateau,” where Djo sings, “I could feel the pain / Of my head, seeing stars / You said, ‘Come to ours’ / So I did.” He uses dynamics effectively to differentiate between memories and reality; a softer and more distant sound contrasts with his deep chest voice, symbolizing a dissociative transportation back in time. Later on in the album, on track seven, one could consider “Fly” the less aggressive sister of “Delete Ya.”
Halfway
Track six, however, “Egg”—sonically and thematically related to The Beatles’ “A Day in the Life”—grounds itself with gentle piano as it assumedly dives into the Egg Universe Theory. The Egg Universe Theory describes that each person is a reincarnation of every human who has ever lived. Djo says how he wishes he could be someone else and recounts a fictional scenario where he trades lives with a stranger and sees himself “through the eyes of the world.” Djo asks, “But man is a mold and nothing is new / So why not release and let it come through?” and allows the listener to ponder on this thought as the song builds to a culmination explosion similar to DECIDE’s “On and On.”
“Charlie’s Garden,” with its ancestor perhaps being Queen’s “Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon,” comments on work procrastination and escapism. It additionally calls back to the reference of Keery’s Stranger Things co-star Charlie Heaton, first mentioned in “Delete Ya.” In addition to being an authentic continuation of Djo’s preceding albums, The Crux blurs the distinctions between Djo and Joe. Djo previously wore a wig and sunglasses while performing in his earlier years to loudly separate himself from his acting career. Now, with that persona almost fully dropped, Djo is less of Keery’s mysterious alter ego and more of an extension of himself. Where he never wanted to be seen as simply the Stranger Things guy, Keery now—and perhaps reluctantly—embraces all facets. Direct references to his Stranger Things work in this album demonstrate this.
The Remaining 15 Minutes…
Djo, though, is nothing if not an expert at balancing emotional highs and lows throughout an album. “Gap Tooth Smile” is The Crux’s version of DECIDE‘s “I Want Your Video.” With a meaty rock vibe, a steady bassline, and strong guitar evening it all out, “Gap Tooth Smile” is the more uplifting love song of the record. Following that is “Golden Line,” a song about living up to other people’s standards, with a sound not unlike Queen’s “You Take My Breath Away.” Though, of course, the two are lyrical opposites.
The Brooklyn Youth Chorus opens “Back On You,” an homage to Djo’s four sisters and close friend, with a beautifully haunting alto line, giving the vocal section much-deserved recognition. The sisters themselves are background singers during the song’s chorus, as well as on “Basic Being Basic,” adding a personal touch to the already heartwarming track. Lastly, “Crux” is the titular song of the album and the pinnacle of the record’s theme, urging listeners to “get back to your heart.” Though a calmer end to the album, it nevertheless closes the record with a sense of completed finality.
With Djo’s first two albums serving as sides of the same coin, The Crux effectively launches a new and exciting era for Djo. The album is a breath of much-needed fresh air within music, providing listeners with a modern touch of 70s and 80s appreciation and that familiar social commentary that is Djo’s forte. It’s hard to say whether The Crux tops its predecessors, but nevertheless, it is safe to assume that whatever Djo releases next will be sure to hit the mark once again.
