The title of Noah Reid's sophomore album, Gemini, is a catch-all for his dualities. Reid, whose astrological sign is Gemini, splits his time between acting (most recently he played Patrick on CBC's Schitt's Creek) and being a musician. A collision of his artistic pursuits is on the album's cover by way of the recasted Gemini Award, an award formerly given by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television (until it was replaced by the Canadian Screen Awards).
Reid's experiences as an actor are heard throughout Gemini. He's driving from his home in Toronto to auditions in Los Angeles and back again on "American Roads," a rock-y song with a perfectly chosen driving beat. On "Hate This Town," a slinky folk-rock song, the egos in L.A. are suffocating Reid, who sings, "I can honestly say, I fucking hate this town." By the end of the record, "I Miss Writing Songs," he's quiet and, in the face of the lows his acting career has given him, he sings about his highs as a musician.
Elsewhere on Gemini, Reid's anxieties and his adoration for his partner are at odds and he's rooting for love to win. "I Guess I'll Just Lie Here" recounts a panicked night full of self-doubt, and it's followed by "I Had a Dream Last Night," a song about a stress dream that turns into a celebration of love. The sprightly "Got You," likewise, celebrates love.
Gemini is the second time Reid has worked with Matthew Barber, after the pair collaborated on Reid's 2016 debut Songs from a Broken Chair. Gemini is a record shaped by the warm sounds of '70s singer-songwriters. The songs on the A-side are sprightly and thrive because of their piano grooves, while the B-side is a moodier and downtempo affair. It's a familiar-sounding record and Reid touches on familiar emotions too which makes Gemini, overall, feel like a comforting embrace.
(Independent)Reid's experiences as an actor are heard throughout Gemini. He's driving from his home in Toronto to auditions in Los Angeles and back again on "American Roads," a rock-y song with a perfectly chosen driving beat. On "Hate This Town," a slinky folk-rock song, the egos in L.A. are suffocating Reid, who sings, "I can honestly say, I fucking hate this town." By the end of the record, "I Miss Writing Songs," he's quiet and, in the face of the lows his acting career has given him, he sings about his highs as a musician.
Elsewhere on Gemini, Reid's anxieties and his adoration for his partner are at odds and he's rooting for love to win. "I Guess I'll Just Lie Here" recounts a panicked night full of self-doubt, and it's followed by "I Had a Dream Last Night," a song about a stress dream that turns into a celebration of love. The sprightly "Got You," likewise, celebrates love.
Gemini is the second time Reid has worked with Matthew Barber, after the pair collaborated on Reid's 2016 debut Songs from a Broken Chair. Gemini is a record shaped by the warm sounds of '70s singer-songwriters. The songs on the A-side are sprightly and thrive because of their piano grooves, while the B-side is a moodier and downtempo affair. It's a familiar-sounding record and Reid touches on familiar emotions too which makes Gemini, overall, feel like a comforting embrace.