Gems (Patti LaBelle album)

AllMusic editor Jose F. Promis found that Gems "doesn't necessarily rank as one of the singer's crowning achievements, but as the title (and cliché) implies, this set certainly offers more than a few gems to unearth.Gems also features a couple of prolific productions courtesy of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (on the set's up-tempo first single, "The Right Kinda Lover") and new jack swing maestro Teddy Riley (on LaBelle's mellow yet hypnotic cover of DeBarge's "All This Love"). The true standout, however, is "Stay in My Corner." That song, with its gospel undertones, features Labelle wailing as only she can, holding out her famous long notes and delivering a truly mesmerizing performance." Alan Jones from Music Week wrote, "Patti LaBelle shows rare and admirable restraint here [...] Those who love Ms Labelle, but not her excess, will enjoy this superb compromise; those discovering her for the first time are in for a treat." ==Track listing==