Rating: 4.5/5 stars

The “Stranger Things” star Joe Keery, known in the music world as Djo, is bringing back ‘70s rock in his new album “The Crux.” 

While Keery is known for his role as Steve Harrington in “Stranger Things,” his music blew up last year on TikTok with the song “End of Beginning.” 

Women have dominated the pop music scene and rightfully so with hit after hit, but male musicians and artists seem to have been missing the mark in the pop world. Djo’s sound is different from these pop princesses, but he is bringing in his own style, blending old rock with a grunge/angsty teen sound. 

“The Crux” seems to be Djo looking back on a specific time in his life, contending with love, heartbreak and friendship.

 In the opening track “Lonesome Is A State of Mind,” Djo looks back at a lost love. The lyrics say, “Thought that you were on my side/Lonesome is a state of mind/No, I won’t be lonely anymore.” The first track allows listeners to see where Djo is now, as he is about to show us a past life through his other songs.

Djo’s music is heavily influenced by iconic rock bands like Queen and The Beatles. In “The Crux,” many songs catch listeners’ attention with their homage to these icons.

“Link” sounds very similar to Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now.” The song is catchy, with Djo’s raspy voice playfully singing over the beat. 

A beautiful ballad, “Golden Line,” mixes stunning strings and a strong voice to produce one of the most impactful songs off of the album. Djo’s confidence is seen throughout the album, but on songs with deeper meanings, he tends to showcase his voice more. Almost reminiscent of Billy Joel, “Golden Line” is a classic love song with lyrics like, “Time can give/

And life can take/But every day/Is better with you.”

The new album had three singles: “Basic Being Basic,” “Delete Ya” and “Potion.” These songs embody the upbeat moments of the album, with bright instruments as Djo looks back on a possible failed relationship. In “Basic Being Basic,” Djo is calling someone out for fake behavior, possibly hinting at LA influencers. The lyrics say, “I think you’re scared of being basic/That’s ironic ‘cause it’s reading like you’re even more basic.” Through more humor-sounding lyrics and a catchy beat, Djo can break up his message of the album while still adding depth throughout the songs. 

“Charlie’s Garden” has “Stranger Things” co-star and friend Charlie Heaton’s spoken word in a section of the song. The song is Djo blatantly reflecting on his time in “Stranger Things.” Heaton says, “Hey, uh, sorry to let you know last minute/I know you’re probably on your way/But we’re not going to get to you tonight,” as Djo contends with longing for more time in the past. 

Djo ends the album with the title track “The Crux.” The song is a good closer, with Djo telling listeners and himself, “Get back, to your heart/But only if you give it back again.” 

Djo’s story of nostalgic times and finding peace in the present is done beautifully on “The Crux.” His rock influence is something not seen too often in the pop world, so it is a breath of fresh air to see it being done correctly.

Image via Spotify