Joe Keery is best known for his role as 80s heartthrob Steve Harrington in Stranger Things, but did you know that he also makes music?
If you’ve spent any time on social media over the last year, then you likely know the lyrics, “And when I’m back in Chicago, I feel it.” That’s right! The viral song “End of Beginning” has been the sound in countless videos and edits online and is sung by none other than Joe Keery (known musically as Djo).
Don’t be fooled; he isn’t just another actor dipping his toes into the ocean of music. Keery has built a unique sound over time by blending influences from synth-pop and psychedelic rock, and his introspective writing and lyricism give his songs both a nostalgic and futuristic feel. His music often reminds me of Mac DeMarco, Tame Impala, and even The Beatles.
I’ll be honest: I didn’t start getting into more of Djo’s music until recently. However, within the past few months, I’ve expanded my horizons by listening to some of his songs, including “Roddy” and “BNBG,” which have remained on my playlists.
Djo’s third album, The Crux, was released on Friday, April 4. It leans towards a more organic and earthy sound, moving away from the heavily computer-based production of his previous work. His second album, DECIDE, was made during the COVID-19 pandemic, created almost entirely on computers, and produced remotely.
Keery describes the shift, telling Rolling Stone, “It had been so long since I used the acoustic guitar as my base. It’ll show itself in the music. It’s not a big acoustic album, but it starts with those building blocks.”
Keery also said that he loves really specific songs. “In the specificity, people can see themselves in the song. People substitute [my experience] for their own version in their own lives. It’s not a feeling that’s unique in their own lives.”
This specificity and honesty are prominent when listening to the lyrics in The Crux. For instance, in “Basic Being Basic,” the first single released ahead of the album on Jan. 24, he paraphrases what someone once told him. “I don’t want your money, I don’t care for fame / I don’t wanna live a life where that’s my big exchange / I want simple pleasures, friends who have my back.”
Keery responds in the following line, “Everyone has secrets, but not everyone can fool a man like that / It sent me reeling, still not the same / It’s like my capacity to love and give has changed / I guess I’ll thank you and spite your name again / The past’s the past, and I’ll outlast / The hate to find real love that’s not pretend.”
His lyrics suggest that the person he quoted betrayed him, making him believe their intentions were pure when they were, in fact, disingenuous and self-serving. Realizing that someone you cared about was only in your life to use you is a devastating experience that many can relate to. It can create issues with trust and intimacy in your relationships going forward, leaving emotional scars.
Some other lyrics I love are from the song “Potion.” “I’ll try for all of my life / Just to find someone who leaves on the light for me.” This lyric beautifully captures a quiet kind of yearning. It’s not about big romantic gestures but about finding someone who offers warmth, safety, and consistency. The image of someone “leaving on the light” suggests being thought of and looked out for. It’s a bit melancholic, yet deeply human.
That raw vulnerability runs throughout The Crux, offering glimpses into Keery’s emotional depth and personal life, which he is known for keeping shaded from the public eye. In “Back On You,” Keery admits that he would lay his life on the line for his sisters.
His sisters are an inspiration for him to be a better man, and he counts his lucky stars that he has them. It’s a heartfelt moment of gratitude that stands out amid the album’s more existential tones and is something that I can only imagine my brothers will feel about me one day.
Each track on The Crux reveals another layer of Djo, not just as a musician or actor but as a person learning, hurting, and evolving in real time. Whether he’s singing about heartbreak, family, or the search for something real, there’s a sense of honesty and vulnerability that you can’t help but be pulled in by.
So, if “End of Beginning” was your entry point, let The Crux be your invitation to stay a while.
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