By Paul V.

Singled Out

Kelly Rowland feat. Eve - Like This - Sony

Wow! Who knew that Kelly Rowland—who always seemed like the “good girl” in Destiny's Child—could turn it out with such a fierce, booty-bumpin' jam? Add Eve in to the mix and the sass is brimmin' to the rim on her excellent new solo effort.

Timbaland - Shock Value

He's absolutely the most in-demand producer in the biz right now, but can Timbaland work his magic as an artist? With his proper solo debut, the answer is mostly hell yeah. He remains most consistent when it comes to the beats, always managing to find those intriguing clicks, pops and thumps to buoy each track. And while the record is essentially rooted in hip-hop and rap, Timba expands his cache by enlisting everyone from Fall Out Boy to She Wants Revenge to The Hives to wiggle out of his comfortable cocoon. Aside from Justin Timberlake (on the sizzlin' “Release,” which is basically “SexyBack” Part Two), it's the ladies on the mic who rule this roost, namely Missy Elliott on the sinister and explicit “Bounce” (with rhymes like "Hold up, hell naw/Like Britney Spears, I wear no draws") and Nelly Furtado on the first single, “Give It to Me.” But it's the mostly unknown Keri Hilson (who drops the finest of diva vocal histrionics on “Scream”) and D.O.E. (on the club-friendly “The Way I Are”) that scores the biggest hooks. Of the rock collaborations, though, you kind of get the feeling that some of the performances were phoned in, namely The Hives' track and “Time” with She Wants Revenge, which almost sounds like an odd mashup: You have Timba's sexy sections about his girl's affections, then SWR's woefully gloomy, faux British accented parts. It's odd, to say the least.

Various - Music With A Twist: Revolutions - Columbia

Branded as the first record label solely dedicated to the music of the LGBT community, Music With A Twist offers its first release. And while it might not sound quite like a revolution, these 11 tracks serve to stir up much-deserved interest in our brothers and sisters who are out and proud and making great music. The good news is that this collection is quite superb and very diverse, and regardless of their sexual orientation, these artists more than hold their own. As if to shoot the proceedings out of cannon, the set opens with the roof-raising “Standing in the Way of Control” by The Gossip, a still-fiery tale about empowerment in the face of discrimination (namely, those opposed to gay marriage). Then things get a bit slinkier, with two excellent tracks: The breathy, sensuous and trip-hoppy “Come Over Here” by Sarah Bettens, and Ivri Lider's gorgeous but melancholic “Jesse,” which needs to be heard by every gay kid with a crush they wish could come true. To brighten up the mood, The Warmdue Project's “Forgiveness” brings sunshine and light to the dance floor, and might remind you of Everything But The Girl. Other highlights include Kirstin Price's kitty-cat cooing on “Magic Tree” (featured on The L Word), Dylan Rice's “The Life” (an up-tempo jangle-rocker) and, for some streetwise hip-hop, check Tangella Bell's fierce “Addiction.” Drop the dough and pick up this collection—you'll be glad and proud you did.

The Cliks - Snakehouse - Tommy Boy Silver

If androgyny had a picture on its Wikipedia page, you just might find the image of The Cliks—and that image is slightly puzzling. They're an all-female quartet from Toronto, but their singer identifies himself as a transgendered male (and yes, they all date women). And they all dress in male suits 'n’ ties. And you may have seen their awesome “Oh Yeah” music video on Logo. Musically, if you could imagine a more smoldering version of The Strokes, who were weaned on early Pretenders or Throwing Muses, that's a good start. Singer Lucas Silveira has the makings of a major star, in both songwriting and vocal prowess—think Fiona Apple with more grit and growl—most notably on the seriously moving “Nobody Else Will.” Adding to the charm are the players, who drop some taut 'n’ tight indie rock melodies. Also captivating is the group's improbable transformation of Justin Timberlake's “Cry Me a River” into a seething rock anthem, driven by a hopped-up reggae groove that proves what a super-slick unit they are. Snakehouse has a mysterious glow to it, but feels intoxicatingly infectious as soon as it starts. There's a rawness (such as ballsy opener “Complicated” and “Eyes in the Back Of My Head”), but more often than not, there's a sweetness that threads these terrific tracks together, and I was completely surprised and blown away by it all. Go catch them live at The Echo on June 5.

Check out DJ Paul V. spinning at Bootie L.A. the first Saturday monthly at The Echo, and Dragstrip 66 the second Saturday monthly at Ex_Plx. Tune in Indie 103.1 FM on Fridays at 5:30 p.m. for the “Smash Mix” and on Saturdays from midnight until 3 a.m. for “Neon Noise.” More info at www.myspace.com/smashmix.