GABRIEL FINISHES FIRST, LOU COMES UNGLUED

Since more and more videos seem to shy away from concepts and settle for lip-syncing, this month’s top two videos are all the more welcome. In them, Peter Gabriel’s and Lou Reed’s directors put them through some heavy changes with eye-catching results.

Ratings system: 80-100, don’t miss; 60-79, recommended; 40-59, watchable; 20-39, weak; 0-19, wretched.

OTHER RECENT VIDEOS:

Julian Lennon’s “Stick Around.” Julian’s girlfriend moves out of his apartment, but maybe she just loved him for his loft--you could park a 747 in this tres chic pad. Would-be Lennon-mate Daphne moves in, redecorates the place to her liking, yawns whenever Julian makes music (we know the feeling) and gets stolen away by Joe Piscopo. Next comes a rock queen who turns the apartment into a rehearsal hall for her own band. Finally there’s a romp with three women and Michael J. Fox (don’t worry, mom, all Julian does is jump around on the bed and take Polaroids). Finally, the original live-in lover returns. Julian’s new album may be a dud, but the best song on it received a dandy video-izing. Directors: Jerry Kramer, Douglas Martin. 75