Gemini (El DeBarge album)

Gemini
Studio album by El DeBarge
Released	February 20, 1989
Recorded	1988–1989
Genre	R&B, soul
Length	41:39
Label	Motown Records
Producer	El Debarge (tracks 1–6, 9 & 10), Jay Graydon (tracks 7 & 8) and Gardner Cole (track 8)
El DeBarge chronology
El DeBarge (1986) Gemini (1989) In The Storm (1992)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Hi-Fi News & Record Review	A:1* [1]
Los Angeles Times	[2]
Tom Hull – on the Web	B [3]
Allmusic	[4]
The Village Voice	B+ [5]

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. ^{[6] [7]}

Overview

The lead single, "Real Love", reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart, ^[8] as well No. 11 on the Billboard Dance Single Sales chart, and No. 14 on the Billboard Dance Music/Club Play Singles chart. ^{[9] [10]} A second single, "Somebody Loves You", reached No. 24 on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart. ^[11]

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." ^[2]

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." ^[4]

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." ^[5]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Real Love"	El DeBarge, Darryl DeBarge	4:08
2.	"Cross My Heart"	E. DeBarge, D. DeBarge	6:12
3.	"Somebody Loves You"	E. DeBarge, D. DeBarge	5:06
4.	"Broken Dreams"	E. DeBarge, D. DeBarge, Tony Radic	3:59
5.	"Broken Dreams (reprise)"	E. DeBarge, D. DeBarge, Radic	1:52
6.	"Turn The Page"	E. DeBarge, D. DeBarge	5:02
7.	"After You"	Jay Graydon, Clif Magness, Glen Ballard	4:26
8.	"Love Life"	Graydon, Gardner Cole	4:20
9.	"Think About It"	E. DeBarge, D. DeBarge, Radic	1:19
10.	"Make You Mine"	E. DeBarge, D. DeBarge	4:24

Charts

Chart (1989)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Top R&B Albums	35 [7]

References

1. Dellar, Fred (September 1989). "Review: El DeBarge — Gemini" (PDF). Hi-Fi News & Record Review (magazine). Vol. 34, no. 9. Croydon: Link House Magazines Ltd. p. 101. ISSN   0142-6230. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 2, 2021. Retrieved September 2, 2021– via World Radio History.
2. Johnson, Connie (June 4, 1989). "EL DEBARGE "Gemini." Motown". Los Angeles Times .
3. Hull, Tom (April 19, 2021). "Music Week". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
4. Elias, Jason. "El DeBarge - Gemini". allmusic.com. Allmusic.
5. Christgau, Robert (June 27, 1989). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice . New York. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
6. El DeBarge (1989). Gemini (album). Motown Records.
7. "El DeBarge: Gemini (Top R&B Albums)". billboard.com. Billboard.
8. "El DeBarge: Real Love (Hot R&B Songs)". billboard.com. Billboard.
9. "El DeBarge: Real Love (Dance Single Sales)". billboard.com. Billboard.
10. "El DeBarge: Real Love (Dance Club Songs)". billboard.com. Billboard.
11. "El DeBarge: Somebody Loves You (Hot R&B Songs)". billboard.com. Billboard.