The Earworm: Gemini Rights by Steve Lacy
Reviewed by Caitlin Reardon
(RCA Records, 2022; Listen Here)
Have you seen the images from NASA’s recently announced James Webb Space Telescope? A new development in the field of air and space, the telescope captures the galaxy in vibrant colors. Space, while completely legitimate and present, is a concept that can seem so foreign to us. This telescope, however, colors space with a more sharpened lens. Us humans down on Earth can now begin to understand the unknown and see the galaxy for all it is — the glittery hues, boundless shapes and rich saturation that surrounds us.
Steve Lacy’s long awaited sophomore album, Gemini Rights, released July 15th, reminds me of this telescope. After experiencing heartbreak, Lacy created a record that illustrates the expansive and complex nature that love exposes to all who explore it.
His sound is something of a rare gem that many of today’s artists have yet to touch. Lacy combines old and new, funk and pop, classic with modern. A queer artist, Lacy is so unafraid to speak about his own identity and queer love through his music. Mixing groovy instrumentals and intricate harmonies together, Lacy has created a sound so unbelievably distinct and nuanced while still reminiscent of funk. He holds a key to a world full of soulful beauty, illustrating precisely why I love music so much: because musicians like Lacy voice emotion so eloquently.
Opening with “Static,” the first track’s tone sets to mark a more personal project for the artist. Although the instrumentation is quite simple to start, a hauntingly nostalgic aura casts itself over once Lacy begins to sing. Speaking about dealing with trauma in ways that are unhealthy for an individual, it's apparent that Lacy is speaking about his own mental health. An element so intrinsic to Lacy are his vocals as he often layers multiple vocal lines; his smooth voice duplicates itself and threads together to create a haunting chorus. As Lacy talks about sniffing “K,” taking drugs to void all emotion and having relationships to distract oneself from the pain, an electric guitar picks up with a fuller sound that saturates the track with ache. While Lacy starts the track more stripped back, he works his way towards the end of the song with deeper devices as he lets the instrumentals collide with his vocals and ride out beautifully.
Moving right into “Helmet,” the pace picks up in true Lacy fashion. His vocals are spot on throughout the entire project but highlighted specifically in this track. Us listeners see right away that this album will be centered around heartbreak by Lacy’s quippy lyrics pertaining to a breakup. He doesn't overdo the instrumentals, but knows right when and where more or less should be added or taken away. By singing in his lower register at times, a picture of pain is painted in vibrancy, effectively communicating his intense hurt. Lacy comes from a perspective of the relationship in retrospect as he is realizing his worth after his lover diminished it: “All that I can be is me and all me.” This lyric is powerful. You can only be yourself and others can either take it or leave it, but you must stand grounded in your own values and identity. The bittersweet harmonies are a pillar of the track and elevate its emotion. Cascading and trickling piano coinciding with the bass and the bounciness of his guitar makes a funky impression. Though Lacy hurts, music seems to be his therapy and you can gauge where he is in his heartbreak through the vocals and instrumental intonations. Although heartbreak sucks, you can still groove in the midst of sadness.
“Buttons” had my mouth ajar at first listen. This heavy hitter of a song is raw, unadulterated anger. The drums, bass and synthesizers build to the climax of Lacy’s vocals. This track is a turning point in Lacy’s thought process as he begins to understand he was treated wrongly and is angry about that, looking back to try and analyze any warning signs and where it all went wrong, which can be attributed to when the two lovers “let [their] guards down,” as Lacy narrates. Here, the vocals advance into an ominous, ghostly choir because the act of letting his guard down was the initial mistake that led to the downfall of the relationship. Lacy’s ability to match his own personal anger and translate it into the instrumentation is a gift. He continues to sing the line, “About my pride,” speaking to how his pride took a beating by this romantic partner. He builds and builds and builds the instrumentals and illustrates grunge in its glory; a true turning point for Lacy.
Released as a single prior to the album, the following track, “Bad Habit” has taken TikTok by storm. But, the track in context with the album makes so much sense. “Bad Habit” flows cohesively from “Button” as Lacy moves from analyzing his ex-boyfriend’s faults to his very own.
“I bite my tongue, it's a bad habit /
Kinda mad that I didn't take a stab at it /
Thought you were too good for me, my dear /
Never gave me time of day, my dear /
It's okay, things happen for /
Reasons that I think are sure, yeah.”
Lacy’s personal downfall is his inability to be proactive and get the courage to tell others how he feels. In an attempt to reconcile this with himself, he acknowledges how he should be honest in the future but because he was not in the past, it may be a blessing in disguise. The steady beat makes this song so addictive to listen to. The guitar part in particular is, for lack of a better word, fun. His vocal variation adds so much flavor, going from his high-to-low register in unexpected ways, further characterizing him as an artist and feeding that signature sound of his. The instrumental breakdown near the end of the track with a sweet acoustic guitar in conjunction with a heavier, chunkier sound pushes that intensity under his freestyle hums.
I’m a sucker for a good interlude. I think it offers the listener a time to contemplate what they have just listened to and observe the interlude with fresh ears, ready for a transitional state into the next portion of the record. “2Gether (Interlude)” is a quick dream that Lacy stews in, dwelling in the illusion that he and his partner will be together forever. In this haunting repeated melody, a fantasy of love is highlighted. But, the facade comes crashing down in “Cody Freestyle,” almost like Lacy is absorbed in a wonderful dream in which he abruptly wakes up from.
The synths are spacey, continuing that dreamy fog that Lacy infuses. “We don't gotta be together forever,” he sings in contrast to the interlude. The instrumentation is more subdued, ultimately letting Lacy speak (and rap) more confessionally about sexuality. Ethereal, especially at the end, like he is moving into better things away from the darkness of that past relationship, Lacy is finally free from love’s disillusion.
“Amber” stands out as one of the more soulful moments of the project. Lacy begins with a spoken narration over a playful piano. He talks about two lovers that meet but unfortunately fall out of their stride. “I wish I never met you no more,” Lacy sings. Here, the vocals build into a full chorus of emotion through layers. The added sound effects in the back so subtly add that same dreamlike quality that listeners are indulged in before. Lacy’s vocal trills are so gut wrenching it almost sounds like he is crying out in pain from heartbreak. This, with the electric guitar that builds into his screaming tone just blends so beautifully. His hurt is a tangible juncture brought into true light.
Slowing the pace down a bit, “Sunshine” takes Lacy’s usual upbeat tempos to a pause. Again, using his vocal strength to make the listeners feel what Lacy feels is an accomplishment marked in this record. His use of vocal variety adds character to the song, along with Fousheé’s feature. Fousheé’s performance is one of substance as her soft voice sweetens the perspective. The harmonies lay intricately, further illuminating every niche of dissonance and suaveness with precision, almost like every note is a piece to a puzzle. The tanginess of Lacy’s added funkadelic elements like bass and guitar accumulate into a delicate but strong declaration of hurt. A warm sound, Lacy has created a standout track with no rush to end it so soon. And closing with “Give You the World,” the record finishes with a jam permeated with tender sensuality, a musical quality Lacy specializes in.
This album is an exceptional accomplishment for Lacy. At just 24-years-old, he has produced an eclectic project that humanizes heartbreak through the many intricate details of harmonization, aching lyrics and rich instrumental tones. Oozing with soul, the record never loses its funkadelic charge despite discussing rather melancholy themes which gives it that special versatility. Lacy has most certainly grown as an artist through the creation of his sophomore album. His musicianship is absolutely stellar at his young age and I am so excited to see what’s coming. I truly love the album and appreciate how Lacy voices exactly what love is, never shying from the good, the bad and the ugly of a relationship. Gemini Rights is like a telescope for all who have been hurt by love in one way or another, proving that through individualistic sound and conceptualization, one is able to uncover love’s true DNA.
Caitlin Reardon is from Southampton, MA and is currently a journalism major at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Since she was little, Caitlin loved to write and developed a passion for it. Her parents instilled in her from a very young age the importance of music and its uniqueness. Intertwining her love for music with writing, she found a knack for music reviewing through The Daily Collegian where you can find some of her published journalistic works in news and arts. She is very excited to expand her platform to Overheard with The Earworm and is open to article requests on particular albums. You can reach her at caitlinreard@umass.edu or on Twitter @caitlinjreardon.
