Boy George Grows Up : Candor, strong musical backing on ‘High Hat’

POP STARS **** Great Balls of Fire *** Good Vibrations ** Maybe Baby * Running on Empty

BOY GEORGE”High Hat.” Virgin. ***

“Don’t believe you’re invincible,” Boy George sings on this album. What this British popster has always been known for, aside from a wacky wardrobe and dauntless flights into the face of convention, is his forthrightness. On “High Hat,” he doesn’t sidestep the drug headlines that contributed to the crash of his career a while back. There are lyrics and song titles that allude to his personal battles, and one track, “Don’t Cry,” is told from the perspective of one who may not mind a bit of compassion, but is too dignified to campaign for it.

That frankness and self-esteem form the core of this album’s appeal. Its major strength, though, is the music. Backed by Sade’s producer/engineer Mike Pela and the team of Gene Griffin and Teddy Riley--who have done groundbreaking work on hits by Bobby Brown, Keith Sweat and Guy--George has come up with one of his best and most focused records in years.

After opening with “Don’t Take My Mind on a Trip,” a pumping, percolating little dance number, George goes the reggae-tinted, Third World route on “Kipsy” and then brings a dreamy, sinuous wit and economy to “Girl With Combination Skin,” a tale of interracial love with a pulsating, sing-along chorus.

Easily one of the best cuts is “You Found Another Guy.” George’s refrain sounds achingly plaintive as the beat jumps beneath him and silky, soul-boy embellishments fill the background. This cut in particular shows that George has as much blue-eyed soul authority as chart-crossing British stars like George Michael and Paul Young.

“You Are My Heroin” is the most disquieting track. The late Esther Phillips, no stranger to drug addiction herself, recorded a poignant vignette about heroin back in the early ‘70s called “Home Is Where the Hatred Is.” George takes lyrics from that song and weaves them into his own in a stream-of-consciousness style. His theory seems to be: Why even pretend that you’re invincible once you’ve taken a major stumble in life? It’s George’s lack of pretense that makes this album so noteworthy.