UNCLOSETED: Groups that might have hidden their...

UNCLOSETED: Groups that might have hidden their sexual preference just last year are now shouting it from the rooftops--like Fem 2 Fem. This L.A. foursome, headed by two avowed lesbians, sings gay-themed tunes on “Woman to Woman,” an album due out Aug. 24 on Critique Records, which is distributed by mainstream BMG. The dance-music material will be initially promoted on the club circuit, particularly the gay club circuit.

Group manger Michael Lewis formed the group 15 months ago by auditioning singers in gay clubs. “Women dance to songs about women dealing with men,” says Lewis, who co-wrote the material. “There’s nothing for women who are interested in other women. That’s what this record offers.”

But Critique President Carl Strube insists, “It’s not just geared to gays. Some of the songs are broad and can be interpreted many ways.”

Critique, which finalized the deal one month ago, will be charged with cashing in on “lesbian chic.” But, Strube counters, “we signed the group based on the music, which we feel is very marketable.”

Right now the video for the first single, “Switch,” is getting exposure only on the Playboy Channel because it includes nudity. But the company is pushing a milder version too.