Gemini is the second album by American R&B singer El DeBarge released in 1989 on Motown Records. The album peaked at No. 35 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums charts.
Overview The lead single, "Real Love", reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart, as well No. 11 on the Billboard Dance Single Sales chart, and No. 14 on the Billboard Dance Music/Club Play Singles chart. A second single, "Somebody Loves You", reached No. 24 on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart.
Critical reception Connie Johnson of the Los Angeles Times, in a 3/5 stars review remarked, "If we pray together, maybe we can stay together,” El DeBarge earnestly sings on one track in a manner that recalls Marvin Gaye’s classic “What's Going On.” The Gaye influence has always been obvious in this singer-songwriter’s music, and “Gemini” sounds like Gaye-meets-Guy."
Jason Elias of Allmusic praised the album saying, "El DeBarge's first solo effort failed to lure the pop audience and left many R&B fans disenchanted. Gemini, released three years later, comes close to achieving the singer's potential as a solo artist. Since Gemini is mostly a self-production, it bares El's harmonic imprint and is more adventurous than many of the R&B albums released around the same time."
Robert Christgau of the Village Voice called Gemini, "Just good black music, ancient to the future, all jumping rhythms and space-case melody, less catchy song than gorgeous sound."
Track listing
Personnel El DeBarge – lead vocals, backing vocals (1–4, 6, 10), keyboards (1–4, 6, 10), synthesizers (1–4, 6, 10), vocoder (1), drum programming (1), drums (2, 6, 10) Jeff Lorber – additional keyboards (1), additional synthesizers (4), synthesizer solo (4), additional synthesizer programming (6) Robbie Buchanan – additional synthesizer programming (1), synthesizers (2, 10), programming (2, 10) Marcus Ryle – additional synthesizer programming (1, 3) Craig Harris – vocoder programming (1) Aaron Zigman – keyboard overdubs (3) Bill Cantos – synthesizer orchestra (7) Jay Graydon – synthesizer orchestra (7), guitar solo (7), synthesizer band (8) Clif Magness – synthesizer orchestra (7), backing vocals (7) Gardner Cole – synthesizer band (8), backing vocals (8) Paul Jackson Jr. – guitars (1, 2, 4, 6), guitar solo (4) Nathan East – bass (1, 3, 4, 6, 10) Tommy DeBarge – bass (2) Abraham Laboriel – bass (8) Ricky Lawson – drums (3, 4) Ollie E. Brown – percussion (1, 3), special effects (1, 3) Paulinho da Costa – percussion (2, 6) Don Myrick – saxophone solo (3, 4) Plain White Rappers – party crowd (1) Alex Brown – backing vocals (1, 6, 10) Lynn Davis – backing vocals (1, 3, 4, 6) Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals (1–4, 6) Portia Griffin – backing vocals (1, 6) Marlena Jeter – backing vocals (1) Valerie Pinkston – backing vocals (1) Tony Warren – backing vocals (1) Bunny DeBarge – backing vocals (2) Carl Carwell – backing vocals (6, 10) Carolyn Willis – backing vocals (6) James DeBarge – backing vocals (10) Josie James – backing vocals (10) Tony Redic – backing vocals (10)
Production El DeBarge – producer and arrangements (1–6, 9, 10) Jay Graydon – producer and arrangements (7, 8) Gardner Cole – producer and arrangements (8) Glen Ballard – arrangements (7) Clif Magness – arrangements (7) Debbie Sandridge – creative director JA – art direction Bacon/O'Brien Design – design Greg Gorman – photography Fred Moultrie for Moultrie Entertainment Group – management, direction
Technical credits Chris Bellman – mastering at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, California) Barney Perkins – recording (1, 2) El DeBarge – mixing (1) Taavi Mote – mixing (1) Mick Guzauski – mixing (2–4, 6) Jay Graydon – engineer (7, 8) Tommy Vicari – mixing (10) Elliott Peters – additional engineer (1, 2), recording (3, 4, 6, 10) Frank Wolf – additional engineer (1, 2) Andy Batwinas – assistant engineer (1) Greg Loskorn – assistant engineer (1, 4, 6) Pat Stoltz – assistant engineer (1) Brad Sundberg – assistant engineer (1, 6) Richard McKernan – assistant engineer (2, 3, 10) Bernard Fringes – assistant engineer (3, 4)
Charts Chart (1989) PeakpositionU.S. Billboard Top R&B Albums 35
References