ALBUM REVIEW: Djo - The Crux
An early 2025 album of the summer contender.
Whether he’s the lovable Steve Harrington from Stranger Things or the murderous Kurt Kunkle from Spree, Joe Keery has played no shortage of interesting characters in his work in film. But his most interesting character yet might be himself, the one he shows more than ever on The Crux. Set at a hotel appropriately titled The Crux, Keery tells tales of its guests and all of their successes, failures and everything in between. These stories mirror his own personal turmoil and growth as a songwriter and a musician, and it makes The Crux perhaps his most enjoyable release yet.
Djo’s most famous musical moments have seen him shrouded in darkness and confusion. Just listen to “Slither”, the closer to 2022’s DECIDE, and you’d think Keery was steering himself down a dark, dark path. But The Crux, with its bright blue sky and cast of characters on its cover, immediately promises brighter sonic motifs. The beautiful “Potion” searches for true love with an acoustic twang previously unheard in a full Djo track. Ballad “Golden Line” strikes piano chords that would make peak 70’s McCartney shed a tear. This brighter approach is the norm across the record, and even songs that call back to Djo’s previous work like “Lonesome Is A State Of Mind” beam instrumentally in a way the dark alleyways of DECIDE wouldn’t dare.
Don’t go thinking that this record is a happy walk in the park though, as Keery balances out this brighter sound with the same heartbreak and identity crises he’s gone through before. The search for true love on “Potion” is countered by the painful memories of a past lover on “Delete Ya”. The new wave shine of “Link” is mired in a search for a real personal breakthrough because the one he’s achieved doesn’t satisfy him. It’s as fun of a The Cars-style song as has been made in some time. “Basic Being Basic” bounces with a Nation of Language-style synths and an indifferent yet annoyed attitude towards an ex-lover. That song wouldn’t be the same without Keery bouncing between deadpan and falsetto, making it a track with plenty of crossover appeal.
By this point, it’s not hard to tell Djo wears more of his influences on his sleeves than ever before. But it never feels like he’s simply recreating his favorite songs from the Stranger Things soundtrack. He pays respect to each different influence (McCartney, Lynne, Ocasek, Buckingham) but creates worlds of his own, allowing each track to be its own little world to peer into. It helps that these songs are catchy, because if you’re going to emulate the catchiest hits of yore, your music has to match. These songs match in full, finding memorable grooves on the livelier tracks and gorgeous melodies on its ballads. Take “Fly”, where Djo does his best to avoid returning to a past lover despite that being the easy path. Its slow pace allows for a contemplative nature, needing little more than sparse drums and some acoustic strings to create something beautiful. The following “Charlie’s Garden” finds an escape from the pressures of life in a garden full of jaunty pianos that’d fit in on any post-Band on the Run Wings album (and an assist from Stranger Things co-star Charlie Heaton).
These stories wouldn’t come to life with lyrics that don’t pull their weight, but Keery is more than up to the task. He finds dichotomy in blame game indifference towards a former lover (Basic Being Basic) and genuine pain in remembering those feelings (Delete Ya). His search for a real connection on “Potion” leads to one of the most earnest, most beautiful choruses of the year so far. His simple ode to his sisters and friends on “Back On You”, surrounded by choir vocals (by his own sisters!) and a phenomenal pop rock instrumental, succeeds in its plain platitudes. The 80’s influences even find their way into the lyrics, with Djo singing “Freddie said it right ‘cause she’s my killer queen” on the fuzzy rocker “Gap Tooth Smile”. Simplicity is often Djo’s friend, but never mistake it for laziness. It’s the root of this tree that allows the record to flourish.
“Egg” might be the closest Djo comes to returning to those dark corridors of DECIDE. The creeping synths grow and grow, only to scurry away as Djo struggles with feeling trapped in an identity others gave to him. It’s a good thematic and sonic bridge from old to new, a bridge that Keery crosses by bearing more of his soul than ever before. It’s an album full of great sounds, fantastic production, memorable ballads, catchy hooks and artistic growth. In other words, it’s an easy contender for album of the summer for 2025.
Verdict: 8.4/10
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