Last April, Stranger Things star and singer, Joe Keery, or Djo, released his third studio album. The Crux. This album was his first release since his song “End of Beginning” blew up on TikTok in the winter of 2024 and was his first release in almost three years. The album had 12 songs offering fans an exciting sound and new narratives to connect with.
On September 12, Keery released a Deluxe version of the album, giving fans 12 more songs with their own unique feel that compliments the original 12 and adds something new to the album as a whole. This release followed three cryptic posts Keery made to his Instagram posts in the previous days, each post a photo of a sunset inching lower in the sky, accompanied by the name of one of his new songs. He first shared, “Carry the Name,” then “It’s Over,” and lastly, “Awake,” keeping fans guessing how many songs were coming and whether or not they were getting a new album entirely.
This exciting approach to releasing music is reflective of the playful and spontaneous nature of the music industry in general, as other indie artists like Peter McPoland, or even massive names, like Taylor Swift are announcing albums with less and less notice. It also highlights Keery’s fun and lighthearted approach to sharing his music with fans, as he has made a point to do since the beginning of his music career, wearing wigs at many of his first concerts and tour shows.
While the original album was perfect for its spring release, the deluxe is perfect to add to your fall rotation and playlists. Though I do consider the album to have no skips, my favorites from the original include “Potion,” “Charlie’s Garden,” and “Link,” and my must listens from this latest release are “It’s Over” and “Carry the Name.” Having seen him perform the first three live on his “Back on You” tour in the spring, I highly recommend giving the entire deluxe a listen.
As a longtime Djo fan, I can’t wait to see what is next for his music and performing. His last tour produced many viral videos, and his most recent performance at All Things Go left me jealous I wasn’t there to see it in person. With Stranger Things wrapping up for the final time this winter, hopefully there is plenty more music to come!