With the continuing crossover success of the Scissor Sisters and the growing popularity of Jinx Titanic, queer bands seem to be increasingly in demand. Below are some examples of the current crop of discs by queer artists that deserve to be played loud and proud during your Pride month observances.

Outmusic Award-winning trio Girlyman follows up its acclaimed 2003 full-length debut Remember Who I Am with Little Star (Daemon). Sticking with the formula that has earned them so much attention, Doris Muramatsu, Ty (Tylan) Greenstein and Nate Borofsky of Girlyman keep the harmonies tight, pure and sweet from start to finish – beginning with the catchy, radio-ready pop of “On the Air,” continuing with the love thief’s story in “Young James Dean” and the anti-war “Soldiers,” through the front-porch stomp of “Kittery Tide” and the stunning “I Know Where You Are,” which name-checks Joni Mitchell.

Described as “folk pop torch tronic,” the 11 songs on Corvidae (Double Salt) by Myshkin’s Ruby Warblers are timeless country jazz numbers with the occasional synthetic beat, placing them as firmly in today as tomorrow. Myshkin’s steamy blues belt gives songs such as the finger-snapper “Gypsytown,” the whiskey-soaked toe-tapper “Drunk” and the erratic heartbeat beat-box of “Saving The Day” their own distinct personalities. Like a queer Shivaree, Myshkin and company are unique unto themselves, which is why songs such as “Pipeline,” “Human Cannonball,” “Blackberry Winter” and “Bird of Paradise” are simply impossible to shake. This is one flock of birds you wouldn’t mind having singing outside your window.

Easily one of the most unusual but enthralling discs I’ve heard in a while, Maybe Maybe Maybe Baby (Luv-A-Lot) by gay-male/straight-female duo Cheese On Bread is nothing short of delightful. Blending harmonies and humor, Sara Fitzsimmons and Dan Fishback of Cheese On Bread sing about the lack of eligible guys (“Where the F*ck Are They?”), regretted kisses (“The Kiss Song”), communication breakdowns (“Modern Art Gallery”), diets (“Stepping Out of Ketosis”), mating rituals (“Biological Romance”), lust (“Structure of A Crush”) and fashion victims (“(You’re Just a) Gucci Model”), all in their inimitable anti-folk style.

“Brother,” the irresistible opening track on Grab That Gun (Mint) by The Organ, can also be heard on the soundtrack of the second season of “The L Word.” I’d been hoping for a female-fronted queer entry into the new-wave revival scene, and I’m so glad that The Organ fits that bill. The lead vocalist manages to be both detached and emotional – two new-wave traits that translate well in songs such as “Steven Smith,” “Love, Love, Love,” “A Sudden Death,” “I Am Not Surprised” and “Memorize The Day.” Add to that a New Order-like guitar and an insistent beat, and you have the makings of one of the most exciting new new-wave bands out there.

More than 20 years ago, queer singer/songwriter Adele Bertei could be heard singing on the Thomas Dolby hit single “Hyperactive.” After releasing a solo disc in the late ’80s, which yielded the single “Green Shirt,” Bertei was somewhat scarce. That is, until now. As the lead singer of the no-wave trio Anubian Lights, Bertei has come back strong. Their album Phantascope (Rhythmbank) opens with Bertei wailing up a blizzard on “Wild Winter.” “Bhajan,” featuring lead vocals by Tommy Grenas, has a seductive dance beat, which is enhanced by Bertei’s Middle Eastern-inspired vocals. “Andromeda Skin” is also a sexy dance number, while “New Wildlife” throws in a Latin beat for extra motion and “Good Morning Spacegirl” is an otherworldly dance cut that propels the listener into another galaxy.

Here is some interesting queer rock music trivia: Hetero Oakland, Calif., rock band The Matches, once known as The Locals, called their most recent album E. Von Dahl Killed The Locals because Yvonne, lead singer of queer, Chicago-based jam band The Locals sued for copyright infringement and won. Eatin Paste (localsrock.com), by (Doll’s) The Locals, finds the band stripped down to a trio (Doll, Christy Nunes and EJ Dawson) and punk-rocking like nobody’s business on opening track “Psychic Night At The Big Boy.” Longtime fans who might be startled by this shift will be pleased to know that The Locals still have a jam sensibility bubbling under the surface, as is audible on “Ohio,” “Jane” and “Bending In The Wind.”

New York scenester Dean Johnson and his band The Velvet Mafia have returned with a new disc, Cheap But Not Free (velvetmafiatheband.com). With some of the same band members found on the band’s 1998 album We Know Where You Live, The Velvet Mafia is as cheeky and in-your-face as ever. From the B-52’s homage “The Girl From Planet Muff” to the queercore punk of “The Pretty One,” the gay metal of “Testosterone,” the sweet and suggestive “Make A Mess” and the unabashedly graphic “The Big Johnson,” The Velvet Mafia rocks the house.

Dutch trio Bambix is a breath of fresh, queer punk air, namely on songs such “Beau,” “Maria,” “Amy,” “Andre” and “Noddy” from their album What’s In A Name (Daemon). On their second EP, Through The Opaque Air (Stroll), queer quartet The Slow Signal Fade displays a fondness for shoe-gazer rock.