In the lead up to The Crux, Djo (otherwise known as Joe Keery) released a handful of singles and began his “Back On You World Tour.” I listened to those singles constantly, and now that the album itself is out, I can finally give my complete thoughts on it.
I’ll say out of the gate that Djo’s released yet another great project. It’s more personal than his previous records, and wears its musical inspirations on its sleeve. With songs reminiscent of The Beatles and vocals reminiscent of Julian Casablancas, Djo has added another solid project to his catalogue.
The Crux debuted alongside a world tour that I was lucky enough to attend. Djo puts on an unforgettable show that I wouldn’t recommend missing. Hearing songs from his old projects live was a great experience, and it was only made better by hearing songs that were just days old at the time of the concert. You’d think that would impact the quality of the performance, but with how good the show was, you’d never have guessed that the songs had just come out.
As for the new songs themselves, I could probably write about all of them, but for brevity’s sake, I’ll stick to highlighting some of my favourites.
Highlights
“Lonesome Is A State Of Mind” is a great album opener. It introduces the listener to the indie-rock instrumentals that The Crux makes use of, and many of the themes present throughout the rest of the tracklist. The song relates to feelings of repetition, and feeling comfortable in your own company, which is important after a breakup (that serves as the emotional crux of the album).
“Link” is pretty inspiring. Not only does it just sound uplifting, but the lyrics match the energy. The song is all about breaking out of a cycle (such as a 9-5 job), and trying something new and outside the norm. It’s about being true to yourself and doing what you think is best, rather than letting someone else dictate your life for you. It also sounded great live, although that can be said for every other track.
“Potion” focuses back on the breakup/relationship aspects of the album. It dropped as a single just two days prior to the album’s release, and features a vocal delivery listeners haven’t heard from Djo. He hits a new high on this track, singing lines that hit close to home if you’ve ever found yourself waiting to connect with someone, even if you don’t have anyone specific in mind.
“Fly” once again returns to the cyclical nature of life and relationships. Much like the themes of the songs, the tracklist itself keeps returning to the same topics; however, it doesn’t get stale. Repetition is a crucial part of the album, with songs like “Delete Ya” and this one hammering that idea home. “Fly” holds the position as the longest song on the album (barely), but it doesn’t overstay its welcome. This track goes from a stripped-back, almost acoustic track to a lush expression of freedom.
“Charlie’s Garden” is the perfect example of what I mean when I say The Crux wears its inspirations on its sleeve. This track is so reminiscent of The Beatles you could probably fool somebody into thinking that this song was actually written by Ringo Starr. The song is about escapism and spending time somewhere away from your responsibilities. For Djo, that place was his friend and Stranger Things co-star Charlie Heaton’s garden, who’s also featured on the song. Based on the reaction at the concert, this track is absolutely a standout for others as well.
“Gap Tooth Smile” has one of the longest counting segments of a song I think I’ve heard, and I love it. Counting to 29 is the sort of simple, fun, and creative choice that I love hearing in Djo’s music. It was also the easiest part for the crowd to sing along to, given that the song had only been out for a couple of days before the show.
“Back On You” is great and certainly warrants being the namesake of his world tour. It embodies the spirit of the album in its name, but flips it on its head; instead of falling back on an ex, this track is about leaning back on those who support you. At the concert, Djo said he wrote this song for his sisters and that really shines in the lyrics. They’re his support, and his “inspiration just to be a better man”.
It’s not just what’s written on the paper that makes this track great. It also sounds awesome. It opens with a choir until a kick comes in and really starts the song. The choir looping back into the culmination of the track ties it all together, making something really special. While the title track subtly closes out the album, the penultimate “Back On You” serves as the climactic final hurrah of The Crux.
Final Thoughts
The Crux is an ode to everyone in Djo’s life who has contributed to who he is today, for better or worse. It’s an album about relationships, and how they can be a source of repeated pain and inspiration. The songwriting here is great, and as far as I’m concerned, Djo’s gone three for three on albums so far.
Compared to his last album DECIDE in 2022, The Crux is much more straightforward in terms of its instrumentals, but that isn’t a bad thing. While I miss the electronic elements of DECIDE, the reality is that those songs aren’t going anywhere. It’s great hearing Djo make music akin to what inspired him, and he really seems in his element on this album. That’s especially true for his live performance. Many songs on DECIDE are tougher to pull off in concert (not that it stopped him, with “Fool” and “End of Beginning” being standouts), but it’s clear that The Crux was made to be played to an audience.
It’s always great to hear an artist who gained popularity largely from one song begin getting recognition for their other work. Seeing a crowd jam out to “Flash Mountain,” a deep cut from his first album, Twenty Twenty, is a great experience. If you’re able, I highly recommend seeing Djo live whenever you can. It’s clear how much he cares, and he leaves it all on the stage.
If you aren’t able to see him, I’d strongly recommend listening to his projects if you haven’t already (that option’s certainly cheaper than the concert). Either way, the music serves as a great experience. His discography is interesting in the sense that his first album feels the most like a blend of the two that followed, rather than the other way around. The Crux is a fantastic project that leans into the rock elements of Twenty Twenty, which I will no doubt play into the ground this summer and in the upcoming years in anticipation of his next release.