Following his lead role as Steve Harrington in Netflix’s hit show “Stranger Things,” and the TikTok megahit “End of The Beginning,” created under his psych rock musical alias Djo, Massachusetts’ own Joe Keery is gunning to become a legend rather than a passing fad.
Keery is prepared for the podium he’s created for himself, donning the Djo solo-act mask once again for his junior studio album “The Crux.” Rejecting any accusation of being a one-hit-wonder, Djo not only deals out a pallet of synths that sound as if they’re ripped from a retro arcade game on the 12-track record, but arms himself with a sizable world tour, including a stop at Boston’s own Roadrunner on May 2.
With this spotlight in mind, Djo doesn’t stray too far from what’s put him on the map—making “The Crux” feel like a direct evolution of his previous record “DECIDE.” Djo’s new project flows as a refreshing, synth-y odyssey, doused in a flurry of pop vocals paired with loud, ear-numbing strings throughout. The success of “DECIDE” made the public raise an eyebrow with the 2022 record’s approachable vaporwave-esque hooks, while “The Crux” is able to truly reel in any skeptics with its modern take on a sound that can be likened to the Beatles.
Djo’s opening track, “Lonesome State of Mind,” crams a charcuterie board of sounds in its short four-minute run time. The first three minutes of the song are a head-bobbing warm welcome, quickly switching in its final minute with a dramatic style shift similar to “A Day in the Life.” The listener is sent through a whiplash of synths and orchestral flourishes as the song crashes down, setting a grand stage for Djo’s all-new psych-pop playhouse.
It seems that Djo’s influences are worn on his sleeve throughout “The Crux.” Tracks like “Delete Ya” remind one of The Strokes, and songs like “Basic Being Basic” feel as jumpy as a song by Justice. Djo mainly seems to highlight the greats, however, “Charlie’s Garden” feels like another go-around modern interpretation of a “Sgt. Pepper’s”-era track through its snappy piano intro, references to “drinking a cup to drink the sleepy away,” and a hook straight from a Lennon and Harrison sponsored acid trip. If it wasn’t blatantly clear, the guy’s got heroes: The following song, “Gap Tooth Smile” hits the listener with the line “Freddie said it right, she’s my Killer Queen.”
Djo never comes off as unoriginal in his homages—each track on the spunky climb of “The Crux” feels like a breath of fresh air in a world of pop songs built for TikTok snippets. That breath feels that much deeper since most people familiar with Djo’s music are coming from the 60 billion views “End of The Beginning” has gained on the app.
His range of skills vocally and instrumentally aremakes the highlights of the album, such as the song “Potion,” which casts a hypnotic effect on the listener. Opening with a garden of acoustic guitars, the tune allures you into a hypnotic rift matched with Djo’s layered vocals, casting a spell that will hook you in for multiple listens. That spell is the real “crux” Djo is offering.
Djo’s honoring of his idols is more of a fun homage than a crutch. As Keery can switch between the smug and lovable Steve Harrington of “Stranger Things,” or the blood-drenched manic rideshare driver Kurt Kunkle in Spree, Djo can shift between multiple vocal ranges and instruments as he plays most of them himself on “The Crux.”
While Keery races to the crux of his acting career, his fans are being offered Djo’s earworm-filled package of modern psychedelic goodies. Those goodies get wedged into your head with each listen as your feelings build over each replay, to one day help “The Crux” reach that legendary status Keery is gunning for.
