FAINT WAVES

This week, it’s another modern tune. This is Song Of The Week: “Awake” by Djo, from the album ‘The Crux Deluxe’.

I may jokingly refer to Joe Keery’s music project as “Steve From Stranger Things” but I’m actually quite a fan of Djo and have been following the project on and off since 2019. Joe came from a musical background in a band (Post Animal), a band he’s since reunited with, and has found a nice solo niche for himself as an alternative pop/rock act. Writing-wise, Joe has shown himself to be an exceptional lyricist, arguably a lot better than many of his contemporaries. While the music itself is comparable to other acts at times and Joe has no qualms about wearing his influences on his sleeve, his writing proves unmistakably his own and to me, often winds up thought provoking (which is quite an accomplishment in modern pop music). His album from last year, The Crux, clicked with me very well and was one of my most listened-to albums of 2025. This song we’re talking about comes from The Crux Deluxe, which doubled the number of songs with what is essentially a separate companion album.

While The Crux Deluxe didn’t resonate with me as much as its predecessor, one song in particular very much struck a chord with me, “Awake”. It starts soft and melancholy, vaguely grunge inspired maybe, as some have compared it to Nirvana and the like. This song, to me, is a great illustration of grief and the palette of emotions that come with it (both in terms of composition and lyrics). In 2025, I dealt with a lot of lingering exhaustion and sadness from 2024, then I was hit with a bout of loss that sort of piled on to that pre-existing strife. That’s when this song found me and I thought it captured a lot of what I felt, including the anger and dissonance that comes in around the three minute mark of the tune, when the song shifts to a distorted and cacophonous rocker after being largely acoustic. Where some heard Nirvana, I think I was maybe most reminded of the soft-to-heavy structural stylings of the Pixies. Whatever inspired and informed the song, I have to admire Joe for making it, as it bares little resemblance to the material that appears on The Crux. I appreciate the creative license and artistic integrity it takes in order to make and release a song like this. Yes, he’s independent, which helps; it’s just easy to play it safe and never swing for the fences.

My two cents, nobody has to worry about Joe Keery and life after Stranger Things (now that it’s finally over). Joe has done well as an actor and I imagine he will continue to succeed in that world but if he should so choose, he could leave it all behind for music, as he’s shown himself to be a dynamic and versatile artist worth following.

Thanks for reading.

~ FW.