$25 GUIDE : AMBITION, INTEGRITY

A guide to what I’d buy if I only had $25 a month to spend on records. You should be able to find discounts, but the assumption here is an album costs $8, an EP $6, a 12-inch single $4 and a seven-inch single $2. This month’s purchases:

Albums:

James Brown’s “Gravity” (Scotti Bros./Epic)--The first tip-off that this album might be special was the fact that it wasn’t rushed out last winter to capitalize on the success of “Living in America,” the song from “Rocky IV” that was Brown’s first Top 40 hit in 14 years--and his first Top 10 hit since “Say It Loud--I’m Black and I’m Proud” in 1968. Dan Hartman, the veteran record maker who co-wrote and produced the single, had something more ambitious in mind: an album that would showcase the music of the Godfather of Soul and one of the most influential figures of the rock era in a contemporary and convincing manner. And Hartman (see adjoining interview) has delivered. The selections--from the reflective “How Do You Stop” to the dance-floor passion of “Turn Me Loose, I’m Doctor Feelgood”--are fresh, commanding works that combine wit, poignancy and rejoicing. In its best moments, “Gravity” serves as the same kind of artistic re-affirmation for Brown that “Private Dancer” was for Tina Turner. CD due Dec. 8.

Elvis Costello’s “Blood and Chocolate” (Columbia)--Costello, whose “King of America” album was a $25 Guide pick last summer, becomes the first artist to have two LPs cited in this monthly series. While “King” contains several outstanding songs, “Blood” is arguably a more captivating and confident work--one whose tension and force recall the intensity and arrogance of Costello’s “Armed Forces” album. How can arrogance be a virtue? Where so many pop artists simply recycle what has proven successful, Costello--in songs like the dizzy “Tokyo Storm Warning” and obsessive “I Want You”--comes across as a singer-songwriter who is pursuing his artistic instincts with little or no concession to his audience. In lesser hands, this would be self-indulgent. But Costello is an artist of the highest order--and this independence defines the word integrity. An album of the year contender. CD available now.

Singles:

Aretha Franklin’s “Jumping Jack Flash” (Arista), 12-inch version, plus Billy Idol’s “To Be a Lover” (Chrysalis) and the Pretenders’ “Don’t Get Me Wrong” (Sire), seven-inch versions.