BLACK VINYL

Steve Lacy's independent debut Apollo XXI earned the Internet member his second Grammy nomination for Best Urban Contemporary Album -- to go with one for Ego Death -- and prompted a deal with major-label RCA for his follow-up. Between solo projects, Lacy as a collaborator was less active than usual, contributing to LPs by Thundercat, bandmate Patrick Paige II, and Ravyn Lenae, seemingly reserving a higher percentage of his energy for solo pursuits. More obviously, he went through a breakup, the inspiration behind Gemini Rights, and switched up his approach by turning the tables roughly 90 degrees with a host of fellow producers, songwriters, and instrumentalists taking seats to assist him with his vision. Gemini Rights naturally is less scruffy than Lacy's earlier releases. Without losing the off-the-cuff "don't overthink it" charm of Apollo XXI or the preceding Steve Lacy's Demo, it's greater in definition and detail, and the songwriting is more deliberate, with no evidence that Lacy is tamping down his free-spirited, deep-feeling personality. While he isn't above expressing a little bitterness and arrogance now and then, each song has some combination of warmth, tenderness, and a sadness combated at times with shrugging acceptance. The whole thing aches. "Bad Habit" is the emotional and literal center, a ballad with lovelorn diffidence so strong that its candid proposition at the end is (humorously) shocking. "Sunshine" is a post-breakup scene filled with unresolved tension between Lacy and duet partner Fousheé. Lacy is at his sharpest lyrically ("Sayin' 'My ex' like my name ain't Steve...Still I'll give you dick anytime you need"), and his guitar toward the end takes bittersweet flight before landing softly. Although the fun and friskiness in past songs like "Playground" are missed, he does add some different bright colors to his mix here, as on "Mercury," a tough bossa nova groove in which his expressions oscillate between regret, acceptance, and longing. From top to bottom, Lacy's strums scratch an itch with a tinge of abrasiveness. Keyboards supplied throughout by sensitive and unobtrusive players John Carroll Kirby and Ely Rise, background harmonies from a quartet of women (including Lacy's sisters), and occasional production help from DJ Dahi and the Internet's Matt Martians all enhance Lacy's sound without complicating it.

A1        Static
A2        Helmet
A3        Mercury
A4        Buttons
A5        Bad Habit
B1        2Gether (Enterlude)
B2        Cody Freestyle
B3        Amber
B4        Sunshine
B5        Give You The World