"Gap Tooth Smile" by Djo // Song Review

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"Gap Tooth Smile" is absolutely one of the brightest shining moments of Djo's entire discography. It is so unapologetically direct and playful as he captures love with such sincerity. There's an earnestness and whimsy to it that just feels so genuine and inherently joyful. That, paired with the humor and confidence woven throughout, fully embodies all the reasons why Joe Keery is such a magnetic performer and songwriter.

The way he captures such a specific, unconditional kind of love and admiration is so sweet. "Anything's cool if it's done with heart" feels like the thesis not just of this song, but of everything Joe does with his music. 

Those traits shine through in every lyric. "There she is, gap-tooth smile, God, how lucky can a simple man be? One life living and a cat beguiled, I know that's my future looking right back at me," he sings in the opening lines. There are so many other really great lyrics that stand out that embody all that makes Joe such a great lyricist. "Makes me roly poly with her dada smile, no, I didn't say a century, I just said a while"  is such a funny punchline to the earlier "come on pretty baby, let's last a while".

It was featured on his third record The Crux and it fits perfectly within the story that album tells from beginning to end. So much of the mission behind that album is focused on returning to the influences and music that shaped his taste from a young age, with classic rock references among the most prominent. This track in particular draws from a production and instrumentation style that carries the same warmth and distinct charm shared by artists like Paul McCartney and Queen. There's even a clever nod to the Queen influence with the lyric, "Freddie said it right, 'cause she's my killer queen and I tell her all the time". Djo's music is so bright and inviting, radiating a joy that feels so timeless. 

Of course, one of the defining moments of the song is at the bridge, when he says, "I tell her all the time, how many times?" and then counts from one to twenty-nine, which is such an unexpected and funny part of the song that brings even more energy to it. "I was just like, 'That's just kind of funny and great,' and the first time I played it for some friends, they had a good laugh. You can't change that, it's kind of amazing. And then I went back and, you know, added some things to contextualize it," Joe said in an interview with The Zach Sang Show. "That song's not about anyone actually; it's not about someone from my own life. It's just kind of like... I kind of just put myself in the place of, like, you know, I've had a partner that I really care about before. And it's a song that's just from the perspective of a person looking at their partner and being like, 'Oh my god, wow, I am so lucky.'"


Thanks for reading! Check out my full reviews of The Crux + The Crux (Deluxe), plus many more reviews of Djo's music linked below and more from my song of the week series. ☆

-Melissa ♡



Photo Credit: Wonderland


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