Djo The Crux

Critic's Take

Djo navigates the fragmentation of identity on The Crux with a collage of retro influences and personal lyrics. The review singles out “Delete Ya” as the album's best track, a glittery reflection where Keery's warm vocals and quirky lyricism let his personality shine. It praises the nostalgic pop collaging heard on “Golden Line” and “Basic Being Basic” while noting occasional pastiche, notably “Charlie’s Garden” and “Back On You”. Overall the record is described as likeable and authentic, a well-pruned garden of musical history centered on Djo's storytelling.

Key Points

• “Delete Ya” is the best song because it fuses warm vocals, quirky lyricism and retro rhythm into a distinctive, personality-forward single.
• The album's core strengths are its authentic, personal lyrics and its uplifting collage of nostalgic musical references.

Themes

Critic's Take

Joe Keery aims high on The Crux, and the album’s best songs - notably “Basic Being Basic” and “Delete Ya” - land as vivid, well-crafted character sketches rather than fully lived experiences. Ian Cohen’s tone is wry and slightly exasperated, admiring the craft while noting how the record’s slick pastiche often reads as homage more than argument. The pleasure comes in the details - the falsetto on “Basic Being Basic”, the lived-in lyrics of “Delete Ya” - even as the album circles the problem of its own performative gloss. Overall, the best tracks on The Crux are those that let Keery, briefly, just be himself.

Key Points

• “Delete Ya” is the best because it lets Keery be himself and combines vivid lyrics with emotional specificity.
• The album’s core strengths are careful craft, nostalgic pastiche, and vivid character sketches, despite a tendency toward derivation.

Themes

Critic's Take

Mariel Fechik hears Joe Keery come fully into himself on The Crux, where the best songs - like “Potion” and “Back On You” - trade ironic distance for warm, Beatlesque harmonies and Fleetwood Mac-style fingerpicking. The review frames the album as instrumentally lush and expansive, praising the gorgeous harmonies on “Golden Line” and the shout-chorus of “Gap Tooth Smile”. Fechik emphasizes that songs such as “Fly” and “Egg” capture an earnest, heart-on-your-sleeve indie feeling that makes these among the best tracks on The Crux. The overall tone celebrates a confident, homecoming record that finally lets Keery’s songwriting breathe and glow.

Key Points

• “Back On You” is the best song because it gathers Keery’s collaborators, family harmonies, and irresistible hooks into a celebratory climax.
• The album’s core strengths are its warm live instrumentation, McCartney-like vocal harmonies, and earnest, nostalgic songwriting.

Themes

Critic's Take

Djo's The Crux bristles with neo-psychedelic flair, and the best songs - notably “Lonesome Is A State Of Mind” and “Link” - crystalize that shift. Williams writes with affectionate specificity, celebrating pop energy and melancholic synths while letting quirky, Bowie-esque and Dylan-esque touches peek through. “Lonesome Is A State Of Mind” is touted as an apt introduction to this era, and “Link” stands out for its raw, anxiety-ridden pleading. The record's quieter moments like “Fly” and “Crux” stitch the album together, making searching for the best tracks on The Crux a pleasant confusion of highlights.

Key Points

• The best song is "Lonesome Is A State Of Mind" because it combines undeniable pop energy, funk and serves as an apt introduction to the album's era.
• The album's core strengths are its neo-psychedelic synth-laden soundscapes, strong lyricism, and a balance of upbeat hooks with wistful, intimate moments.

Themes

Critic's Take

Djo leans into retro Seventies and Eighties flourishes on The Crux, and the record's best songs - notably “Potion” and “Delete Ya” - prove his growth as a songwriter and producer. The reviewer hears a polished, festival-ready sweep on “Lonesome Is a State of Mind” and a cheeky, LCD-like bite on “Basic Being Basic”, which together show why listeners ask about the best tracks on The Crux. Bright harmonies and soft-rock warmth make “Potion” the highlight, while the Prince-tinged groove of “Delete Ya” secures its place among the album's top songs. Overall, the album feels like the arrival of a fully formed artist who is only just getting started.

Key Points

• The best song is "Potion" because its bright acoustic guitars, sweet harmonies, and soft-rock warmth mark it as the album highlight.
• The album’s core strengths are polished retro-influenced production and more personal lyrics that show clear musical growth.

Themes

Critic's Take

On The Crux Lauren Hague finds the best tracks to be those that wear Djo's new synth-pop sheen while still interrogating identity - chief among them is “Basic Being Basic”, which she frames as the album's pointed lead single, and “Egg”, which she calls a highlight. Hague writes with an appreciative, descriptive tone that lingers on his sonic pivots and lyrical irony, praising how “Crux” ties together themes of self-discovery and social awareness. The review positions these songs as the best tracks on The Crux because they crystallise Keery's melodic voyage and sharpen his signature sound.

Key Points

• “Basic Being Basic” is the best song because it foregrounds Djo’s synth-pop pivot and frames the album’s lyrical focus.
• The album’s core strengths are its melding of synth-pop and psychedelic indie textures with incisive lyrical themes of identity and social awareness.

Themes

Critic's Take

There are real highs on The Crux, and Djo’s best tracks - notably “Lonesome Is A State Of Mind”, “Fly” and the title track “Crux” - wear their melodies lightly while doing the heavy lifting. Maplethorpe’s ear lingers on the album’s wholesome nostalgia and shimmering hooks, praising how “Fly” feels like an old videotape of a family holiday and how “Lonesome Is A State Of Mind” eases you in with pretty vocals. Yet the reviewer’s tone remains measured, noting that many songs drift without clear direction, so while those best tracks stand out, the record as a whole often blends into the background. The result is a record your friend will love, radio and coffee-shop ready, but one that sometimes lacks bite.

Key Points

• The best song, “Fly”, is praised for its nostalgic, wholesome warmth and highest track score.
• The album’s core strengths are catchy hooks and moments of genuine musical tenderness, tempered by inconsistent direction.

Themes

Critic's Take

Djo revels in retro thrills on The Crux, where the best songs - notably “Lonesome Is A State of Mind”, “Link” and “Back On You” - mix glam bravado with genuine heart. Daisy Carter's tone, exuberant and observant, celebrates how analogue instrumentation and expansive arrangements make the best tracks on The Crux feel both referential and alive. The record’s joyous, heartfelt core shines brightest on opener “Lonesome Is A State of Mind” and the choral swell of “Back On You”, which crystallise the album’s post-breakup solace. Overall the reviewer positions these standout songs as reasons to call The Crux an accomplished, fun reinvention rather than a nostalgia exercise.

Key Points

• The best song is the opener because its vocal tone and retro touchstones immediately set the album's confident, referential mood.
• The album’s core strengths are its analogue instrumentation, expansive arrangements, and emotional throughline of post-breakup reflection and friendship.

Themes