Gemini Rights

Gemini Rights is the second and major-label debut studio album by American musician Steve Lacy. It was released on July 15, 2022, by RCA Records. It follows Lacy's debut album Apollo XXI (2019), and was preceded by the singles "Mercury",[5] "Bad Habit"[6] and "Sunshine".[7] "Bad Habit" became Lacy's debut entry on the Billboard Hot 100 and later became his first number one single.

Gemini Rights
Studio album by
Steve Lacy
ReleasedJuly 15, 2022 (2022-07-15)
StudioThe Village
Genre
Length34:57
LabelRCA
Producer
Steve Lacy chronology
Apollo XXI
(2019)		 Gemini Rights
(2022)
Singles from Gemini Rights
  1. "Mercury"
    Released: June 16, 2022
  2. "Bad Habit"
    Released: June 29, 2022
  3. "Sunshine"
    Released: July 13, 2022
  4. "Helmet"
    Released: February 13, 2023[4]

The album includes guest appearances from Fousheé, and Lacy's Internet bandmate, keyboardist Matt Martians. Incorporating a variety of genres, the album has been described as an amalgamation of indie rock and alternative R&B, with elements of funk, jazz, and psychedelia.

Gemini Rights received positive reception from music critics upon its release. The album reached the top ten of the Billboard 200 chart, and topped the Top Rock Albums chart. The album won Best Progressive R&B Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.[8]

Background

Lacy produced "about 90% of the record" and came up with the title while "tipsy" at a bar, also telling Zane Lowe that he wanted Gemini Rights to be concise so listeners could "make a decision to want to keep playing it again".[9] Lacy shared that the album is a collective story of him “coming into [himself] after a breakup.” He hoped the album is left to be interpreted by people “[however] they want to.” Gemini Rights is an album that amplifies the artist’s “majestic mystique” discography, leading Lacy to hit #1 on Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks straight, months following the summer release date in 2022.[10] Gemini Rights is an album that Lacy hopes “will make people feel more unconditional love for one another.”[11]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic80/100[12]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[13]
Clash7/10[14]
The Guardian[2]
Hot Press8/10[15]
Loud and Quiet6/10[16]
The Music[17]
NME[18]
Pitchfork7.1/10[1]
Rolling Stone[3]

Gemini Rights received a score of 80 out of 100, based on eight critics' reviews, at review aggregator Metacritic, indicating "generally positive reviews”.[12] Mankaprr Conteh of Rolling Stone wrote that the album "feels like the product of a grand jam session" and a "tight collection of rock and R&B, funk and jazz, psych and hip-hop that's as warm and airy as the cusp of summer, when Geminis are born".[3] Reviewing the album for NME, Thomas Smith found Lacy's "musical palette is more refined and vibrant than ever", describing the album as a "fearlessly funky" and "seriously steamy" follow-up with "bold leaps forward and artistic flourishes" that is a "more polished and assured work than his debut".[18]

Shahzaib Hussain stated that Lacy "taps into the legacy of The Love Below-era André 3000" as he "channels the musical touchstones of yesteryear into something reachable for a generation exploring more than ever before concepts of personal autonomy and identity", although "the heady high of hedonism" offered by the album "is only ever fleeting and it never really fills the void".[14] Luke Cartledge of Loud and Quiet acknowledged that the album is "not without flaws: occasionally, the lozenge-smooth nature of the production allows some tracks to drift into coffee-table politeness" and "easygoing groove or pseudo-improv [...] But such shortcomings are easily forgiven; the self-assurance of Steve Lacy is far from unearned".[16]

Track listing
Gemini Rights track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Static"
2:36
2."Helmet"
3:21
3."Mercury"
4:55
4."Buttons"
  • Lacy
  • Natche
  • Rise
3:04
5."Bad Habit"
  • Lacy
  • Fousheé
  • Gordon
  • Kirby
  • Matthew Castellanos
3:52
6."2Gether (Enterlude)" (with Matt Martians)
0:50
7."Cody Freestyle"
  • Lacy
  • Fousheé
4:00
8."Amber"Lacy2:53
9."Sunshine" (featuring Fousheé)
4:53
10."Give You the World"
  • Lacy
  • Natche
  • Rise
4:33
Total length:34:57

Personnel

Musicians

  • Steve Lacy – vocals (all tracks), bass (3, 5), guitar (3)
  • Ely Rise – keyboards (1), piano (2), synthesizer (3, 4)
  • Asia Lacy – background vocals (2, 8, 10)
  • Vage Webb – background vocals (2, 8, 10)
  • Valerie Lacy – background vocals (2, 8, 10)
  • Valyn Spottsville – background vocals (2, 8, 10)
  • Crystal Torres – horn (3)
  • John Carroll Kirby – organ (3), synthesizer (5–10)
  • Karriem Riggins – drums (9)
  • Denise Stoudmire – background vocals (10)

Technical

Charts

References
  1. Kearse, Stephen (July 20, 2022). "Steve Lacy: Gemini Rights Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  2. Joshi, Tara (July 17, 2022). "Steve Lacy: Gemini Rights review – a sumptuous listen". The Guardian. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  3. Conteh, Mankaprr (July 15, 2022). "Steve Lacy's 'Gemini Rights' Is Brilliantly Mercurial". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  4. "Triple A Future Releases". All Access. Archived from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  5. Strauss, Matthew (June 16, 2022). "Steve Lacy Announces New Album Gemini Rights, Shares New Song 'Mercury': Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  6. Saunders, Brycen (June 29, 2022). "Steve Lacy Drops New Track 'Bad Habit'". Hypebeast. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  7. Breihan, Tom (July 13, 2022). "Steve Lacy Teams Up With Fousheé On New Single "Sunshine": Listen". Stereogum. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  8. Lee, Taila (November 15, 2022). "2023 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Complete Nominees List". Grammys.com. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  9. Price, Joe (July 16, 2022). "Steve Lacy Releases New Album 'Gemini Rights' f/ Matt Martians and Fousheé". Complex. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  10. Trust, Gary (October 17, 2022). "Steve Lacy's 'Bad Habit' Tops Hot 100 for Third Week, Doja Cat's 'Vegas' Hits Top 10". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  11. "On 'Gemini Rights' Steve Lacy Gets Personal About Red Flags & Trusting His Instincts". www.grammy.com. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  12. "Gemini Rights by Steve Lacy Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  13. "Gemini Rights". AllMusic. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  14. Hussain, Shahzaib (July 15, 2022). "Steve Lacy – Gemini Rights | Reviews". Clash. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  15. Holland, Nora (July 15, 2022). "Album Review: Steve Lacy, Gemini Rights". Hot Press. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  16. Cartledge, Luke (July 15, 2022). "Steve Lacy – Gemini Rights – Album Review". Loud and Quiet. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  17. Tritsiniotis, Parry (July 15, 2022). "Steve Lacy / Gemini Rights". The Music. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  18. Smith, Thomas (July 15, 2022). "Steve Lacy – 'Gemini Rights' review: a fearlessly funky follow-up from The Internet guitarist". NME. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
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