PATTI SMITH

“Gung Ho”

Arista

The classic standoff between Patti Smith and the listener is in full force on her towering album “Gung Ho” — a collection that will stand easily as one of the top 10 records of the year.

On her eighth studio album, Smith challenges the pop public to enjoy the kind of music she wants to play.

That’s what she did on her debut, “Horses,” and she’s managed to repeat the feat 25 years later on her new 13-song collection, released today.

With “Gung Ho,” Smith has created something to be very proud of. The album is loosely themed around human rights and freedom, tagged to the course of American history — from the Revolution on.

Smith’s revolutionary roars provoke us to fathom the nature of freedom. On “Gung Ho,” she and her crackerjack band move your hips and your head with powerful, meticulously rendered music.

The strangest song on the disc is a backwoods lament called “Libbie’s Song,” with all the markings of traditional Appalachian mountain music.

This love song is sung from the point of view of Libbie, the devoted widow of Gen. George A. Custer. It’s a very pretty piece, but it only fits into the rest of the album because it makes its points from an oddball angle.

Smith does that again on the “Gung Ho” title track, where she looks at the world through the eyes of Ho Chi Minh, who successfully led North Vietnam against U.S.-backed South Vietnam.

Smith takes no sides in this epic composition — in fact, it’s in the precarious balance that she finds the engines to drive the piece to a moment of transcendence reminiscent of the improvised rant she sang in the tune “Birdland” years ago.

Sure, there are Smith’s signature dark and dangerous punk-funk renderings, but there are also a number of tunes every bit as fun as “Because the Night,” such as “All That Glitters,” “One Voice,” “Upright Come” and “Boy Cried Wolf.”

There isn’t a bad song on this disc, which, given time, will gain the kind of respect that “Horses” already commands.

JONI MITCHELL

“Both Sides Now”

Warner Bros. Records

Joni Mitchell, onetime voice of her generation, has made an album recalling Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Nina Simone.

Aiding Mitchell in this jazz/cabaret project of romantic ballads — as well as reworked versions of her own “A Case Of You” and “Both Sides Now” — is the London Symphony Orchestra.

Usually when the London Symphony Orchestra gets involved with a contemporary artist the result is a gooey mess of overbearing strings, but this time the orchestra allows Mitchell to get in front.

Joni Mitchell isn’t an artist you have to learn to like, but this is just an OK disc, nothing to get too excited about — unless it means she’ll support the disc by playing a gig at an intimate jazz club like the Blue Note.

STEVE STEVENS

“Flamenco A Go Go”

Ark 21 Records

Though guitar ace Steve Stevens’ new disc stands zero chance of going gold, that doesn’t mean it isn’t golden.

Stevens is best know as Billy Idol’s former writing partner and bandmate, who created songs like “Rebel Yell,” “White Wedding,” “Eyes Without a Face” and “Flesh for Fantasy,” to name a few.

A couple of years back, while touring as the ax-man for Motley Crue’s Vince Neil, Stevens had an epiphany — it didn’t matter what he was playing, the audience wasn’t listening.

On “Flamenco A Go Go” — a small and delicate album compared to his past work — Stevens challenged himself to make acoustic guitar music with the power and vitality of contemporary rock.

On this unique project, he succeeds in capturing the emotion of the ancient Spanish guitar style, while updating the sound with digital production techniques.

There are drum loops and synthesized sonics, but the disc is best at its simplest, as on the title track and the fiery flamenco-rhythmed instrumental “Riveria ’68.”

THE REVEREND HORTON HEAT

“Spend a Night in the Box”

½ Time Bomb Recordings

The good Reverend Heat and his not-so-holy rock ‘n’ roll band know the road to hell is paved with the kind of psychobilly that powers their fast, fun disc “Spend a Night in the Box.”

There is almost no evolution in the band’s sound on their sixth studio release, which will please longtime fans who hate it when artists try to reinvent themselves.

The bone-shaking nuts ‘n’ bolts drum/bass/guitar rock on this album is fine — but will be a better appreciated when the band comes to New York to do the stuff live.