A genre-blending, modern take on classic pop-rock
Djo’s latest album, The Crux, is crafted with care, skill, and intention, showcasing Joe Keery’s distinctive production style and clear passion for retro aesthetics. The album’s polished sound seamlessly blends 1960s and 1970s psychedelic rock with modern electronic influences. Djo wears his influences on his sleeve, with certain songs feeling as if they could have been written by David Byrne or Paul McCartney themselves. While the execution is undeniably skillful and the album offers a compelling sonic journey, The Crux leans so heavily on its influences that it rarely ventures into original territory. It stands as an interesting modern explanation of classic ’60s and ’70s music, but one that ultimately doesn’t feel particularly new.
This is somewhat disappointing, as Djo aspires to something greater than tributes. “Basic Being Basic” walks a fine line between playful irony and predictability. Undeniably catchy, with a tight groove and a well-crafted earworm, the satirical lyrics aim at superficiality and trends. The message is not groundbreaking. It is a bit basic, but there’s a tongue-in-cheek charm to the way it’s delivered. With lines like “I don’t want your money, I don’t care for fame,” Djo delivers them with sincerity. However, the song gestures at critique but never lands a meaningful punch, content instead to skate along the funky surface. The production and vocal delivery do much of the heavy lifting, creating a sense of depth that the lyrics don’t quite earn. “Basic Being Basic” feels more like a stylish commentary than a thoughtful exploration—entertaining and well-executed, but ultimately saying less than it seems to promise.
“Charlie’s Garden” presents a richly layered, psychedelic soundscape that clearly draws from the whimsical and melodic sensibilities of The Beatles, specifically Paul McCartney’s more playful work. With the vast creative possibilities afforded by modern production technology—tools that enable limitless experimentation, complex layering, and sonic manipulation—there is an opportunity to take retro influences and transform them into something new and surprising. Yet, “Charlie’s Garden” feels constrained by its reverence, too beholden to the past to break free from it. It lacks the tactile charm of the analog-tape era it evokes. There’s no hint of tape hiss, no raw edges, no evidence of the happy accidents or limitations that gave classic recordings their soul. It’s clean, polished, and technically sound—but perhaps too much so. The result is a song that captures the aesthetic of a bygone era, but lacks the personality and innovation that made that era resonate in the first place.
Still, The Crux should be seen less as a final statement and more as a promising continuation. Djo—Joe Keery—is not only a capable musician but a true connoisseur of sound, someone who understands the intricacies of genre and production with remarkable depth. His reverence for classic pop and rock is genuine, and his ability to emulate those sounds with precision shows both skill and care. What’s most exciting is the sense that Djo is still in the process of finding his voice, one that may eventually step out from behind the shadows of his influences. While The Crux might not offer anything innovative, it lays the groundwork for an artist with the curiosity, talent, and taste to create something entirely his own in the future.
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