Gemini (Brian McKnight album)

Gemini
Gemini
Studio album by Brian McKnight
Released	February 8, 2005
Length	53:39
Label	Motown
Producer	Bruce Carbone (exec.); Silas White (exec.); Brandon Barnes; Nikki Holliwood; Karma Productions; Brian McKnight; Poke & Tone; Sandy "Sanman" Ruiz;
Brian McKnight chronology

Gemini is the eighth studio album by American singer Brian McKnight. It was released by Motown Records on February 8, 2005 in the United States. The album's title is a reference to the singer's astrological sign, Gemini. Upon release, Gemini received mixed reviews from music critics. However, the album debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200 album chart, becoming McKnight's highest-charting album to date. Gemini was preceded by two singles: "Everytime You Go Away" and "What We Do Here". Both songs charted in the Top 40 of Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, with the latter staying there for two weeks. Gemini marked McKnight's last album on Motown Records.

Composition

"Everytime You Go Away" is a smooth ballad that has his signature quiet storm sound.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
PopMatters	^[2]
Slant	^[3]
Vibe	^[4]

In his review for Allmusic, David Jeffries wrote: "Bring your lover and your playful side because Gemini is an aptly named loose and free bedroom winner from Brian McKnight That's where the concessions to music of the moment stop, and while they're not at all unnecessary, the album really succeeds when McKnight wears all his singer, composer, musician, and producer hats at once and brews up something between Prince's self-titled release and a Sweetback album."^[1] Chris Rizik from SoulTracks found that "Gemini is a fairly typical McKnight album that his many (primarily female) fans will adore. As with his other CDs, there are a handful of excellent, well performed numbers However, the lyrical mixed messages and groupie pandering leave me cold and prevent the album from reaching the level warranted by its solid musical foundation."^[5]

Sal Cinquemani from Slant felt that Gemini, the singer’s seventh album, begins on a high note, the intro showcasing McKnight’s old school Motown harmonies, but the rest of the disc resurrects previous trends, matching the singer’s aural NyQuil (his trademark honey-dipped vocals) with the mildest of R&B formulas and hooks that barely register."^[3] PopMatters critics Jalylah Burrell wrote that "with Gemini, McKnight manages to escape the lure of his trend-conscious alter ego, another of the 30-plus entertainers who feel a need to justify their presence in a youth-obsessed market. Instead the album witnesses the musician just playing his fated position. Not all-star caliber but well enough for his faithful fans."^[2] People called Gemini "another dependable effort, shows that McKnight is clearly not in the same league as Prince, Marvin or Luther. And now the veteran singer is also being passed by such youngbloods as Van Hunt and John Legend. Even so, his sophisticated soul can still be as smooth as satin sheets."^[6]

Chart performance

Gemini debuted and peaked at number four on the US Billboard 200 in the week of February 26, 2005,^[7] selling 103,000 units in its first week of release.^[8]

Track listing

*Gemini* track listing
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Stay With Him (Intro)"	Brian McKnight	Knight	2:46
2.	"What We Do Here"	McKnight	McKnight	3:41
3.	"Everytime You Go Away"	McKnight	McKnight	4:42
4.	"Grown Man Business"	McKnight Shawn Carter Jerome Foster Marcus Miller	Poke & Tone	3:35
5.	"Everything I Do"	McKnight	McKnight	6:39
6.	"Here with You"	McKnight Brandon Barnes Barry Gibb Maurice Gibb Robin Gibb	McKnight	4:23
7.	"All Over Now"	McKnight Curry	McKnight	3:31
8.	"She" (featuring Talib Kweli)	McKnight Carvin Haggins Ivan Barias Kweli	Karma Productions Sandy "Sanman" Ruiz	3:43
9.	"Stay"	McKnight	McKnight	3:57
10.	"Come Back"	McKnight Barnes Claude Vernell	McKnight	4:11
11.	"Watcha Gonna Do?" (featuring Akon, Juvenile and Skip)	McKnight Nicholas Clifford Terius Gray Kelii Anthony Thiam Aliaune	Nikki Holliwood	4:08
12.	"Your Song"	McKnight	McKnight	3:35
13.	"Me & You"	McKnight	McKnight	5:08

Samples

"Grown Man Business" samples from "Can't Knock the Hustle" by Jay-Z and "Much Too Much" by Marcus Miller.
"Here with You" samples from "Love You Inside Out" by Bee Gees.

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for *Gemini*
Chart (2005)	Peak position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)^[9]	82
French Albums (SNEP)^[10]	97
US Billboard 200^[7]	4
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[11]	2

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for *Gemini*
Chart (2005)	Position
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[12]	56

References

^ ^a ^b Gemini at AllMusic. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
^ ^a ^b Burrell, Jalylah. "Brian McKnight: Gemini". PopMatters. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
^ ^a ^b Cinquemani, Sal (January 25, 2005). "Review: Brian McKnight, Gemini". Slant. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
^ Checkoway, Laura (March 11, 2005). "Brian McKnight – Gemini (Motown)". Vibe. Archived from the original on March 13, 2005. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
^ Rizik, Chris. "Review". SoulTracks. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
^ "Picks and Pans Review: Lee Ann Womack". People. February 21, 2005. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
^ ^a ^b "Brian McKnight Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
^ Oppelaar, Justin (February 16, 2005). "3 Doors Down Steers Straight To No. 1". Billboard.com. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Brian McKnight – Gemini" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
^ "Lescharts.com – Brian McKnight – Gemini". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
^ "Brian McKnight Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
^ "R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: Best of 2005". Billboard. Retrieved January 8, 2020.

External links

Gemini at Discogs (list of releases)

Zdroj:https://en.wikipedia.org?pojem=Gemini_(Brian_McKnight_album)
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[allmusic-1] Gemini at AllMusic. Retrieved January 14, 2020.

[popmattersrev-2] Burrell, Jalylah. "Brian McKnight: Gemini". PopMatters. Retrieved January 14, 2020.

[slant-3] Cinquemani, Sal (January 25, 2005). "Review: Brian McKnight, Gemini". Slant. Retrieved January 12, 2020.

[Vibe-4] Checkoway, Laura (March 11, 2005). "Brian McKnight – Gemini (Motown)". Vibe. Archived from the original on March 13, 2005. Retrieved July 7, 2023.

[soultracksrev-5] Rizik, Chris. "Review". SoulTracks. Retrieved January 14, 2020.

[peoplerev-6] "Picks and Pans Review: Lee Ann Womack". People. February 21, 2005. Retrieved January 14, 2020.

[Billboard200-7] "Brian McKnight Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 8, 2020.

[billboard-8] Oppelaar, Justin (February 16, 2005). "3 Doors Down Steers Straight To No. 1". Billboard.com. Retrieved July 10, 2023.

[ac_Netherlands_Brian_McKnight-9] "Dutchcharts.nl – Brian McKnight – Gemini" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 8, 2020.

[ac_France_Brian_McKnight-10] "Lescharts.com – Brian McKnight – Gemini". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 8, 2020.

[ac_BillboardRandBHipHop_Brian_McKnight-11] "Brian McKnight Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 8, 2020.

[year-end2005-12] "R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: Best of 2005". Billboard. Retrieved January 8, 2020.

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v t e Brian McKnight
Discography Awards and nominations
Albums	Brian McKnight I Remember You Anytime Bethlehem Back at One Superhero U-Turn Gemini Ten I'll Be Home for Christmas Evolution of a Man Just Me More Than Words Better Genesis Exodus
Compilation albums	From There to Here: 1989-2002 Gold
Singles	"The Way Love Goes" "I Can't Go for That" "Love Is" "One Last Cry" "Let It Snow" "Crazy Love" "Back at One" "Find Myself in You" "To You" "Used to Be My Girl"