A-LISTS rage recommends by tim parks HEAR THIS:


Basic Instinct Ciara “Love Sex Magic” singer Ciara titled her


fourth studio album, Basic Instinct, as she recently said in an interview with Blues & Soul Magazine that she views the project as a way to trust her musical instincts. The project is also the musical equivalent of a 180-turn back to earlier hits, such as “Goodies” and “1, 2 Step.” The formula seems to work best on the


CD’s more upbeat tracks, with “Gimme Dat,” “Heavy Rotation” and most predominantly on “Turn It Up”—which features Usher—and is Basic Instinct’s best example of a standout song. Available Now.


No Boys Allowed Keri Hilson


The recent VH1 Divas Salute The Troops


participant is using her No Boys Allowed CD for a two-fold effort. It is partially a way to rally female listeners together as “an ode to self confidence,” while it also honors some of the R&B singer’s favorite artists, such as Diana Ross, Janet Jackson and girl group TLC. The latter endeavor was clearly evident in the video for her sophomore CD’s first single, “Pretty Girl Rock,” in which she paid visual homage to the aforementioned female songbirds. Hilson’s CD has vocal cameo appearances by Nelly on “Lose Control,” Rick Ross on “The Way You Love Me” and with Chris Brown during her female empowerment anthem, “One Night Stand.” With its lyrics of “a one night stand is all I need,” showcases that sometimes the singer will let men into the clubhouse, but only on her terms. The point is made again on the catchy dance-infused “Gimme What I Want” and the slow-jam “Breaking Point.” Available Now.


Icon Cher Barring her two-song inclusion on the Burlesque soundtrack, Cher fans haven’t had any new material from the diva since 2001’s Living Proof. Instead, there was a greatest hits compilation, The Very Best of Cher, circa 2003, to remind us of why she has achieved the stature befitting a star of her magnitude. It’s with that mindset that Icon will be released upon her adoring fan base and to the public-at-large, and will include older Cher chestnuts as “If I Could Turn Back Time,” “Half- Breed,” “Dark Lady,” “I Found Someone,” and “Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves.” Available January 4.


READ THIS: Hidden Tomas Mournian Hidden is based upon a news article written by Tomas


Mournian for the San Francisco Bay Guardian, which he has now turned into his fiction debut. The story follows 15-year-old Ahmed, who unintentionally outs himself to his parents and, in turn, is sent off to a “we-can-make-you- straight” residential treatment facility, known as Serenity Ridge. However, the treatment center is nothing like its name promises, as Ahmed faces close to a year of sexual abuse annd overmedication, until he manages to escape. His sanctuary comes in the form of a home for runaways in


San Francisco, where he meets a group of teenagers just like himself. Now going by the name of Ben, the character formerly known as Ahmed must learn to let his guard down among the denizens of the safe house, who are keeping secrets of their own. Available January 25.


24 RAGE monthly | JANUARY 2011


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