With ‘Arena,’ released on Sept. 29, 2008, Todd Rundgren again created music best heard cranked to 10 – loud enough to hear on the very back row.

The Junior League’s ‘Also Rans’ is smooth enough to boast power-pop accessibility, but flashes of punk-like energy keep things interesting.

Savatage’s classic ‘Hall of the Mountain King,’ released on Sept. 28, 1987, was an eye-opening experience for first-time producer Paul O’Neill.

Walter Becker’s ’11 Tracks of Whack,’ released on Sept. 27, 1994, is both a neglected minor treasure and a delightfully peculiar album.

Herb Eimerman’s ‘ Five Dimensional Man’ boasts the supremely shaped pop rock sounds he’s lauded for, but explores new ground, as well.

‘In the Hot Seat,’ released on Sept. 27, 1994, is apparently the final LP by Emerson Lake and Palmer. Carl Palmer explains why he’s OK with that.

Released on Sept. 26, 1969, the Beatles’ ‘Abbey Road’ held many collaborative surprises. But I just couldn’t get over its Side One ending.

Aside from being a great song, the story of how the Wicked Fools’ “Beverly” dropped in my lap is simply unbelievable.

When John Lennon returned in 1980 with some of the most contented sounds of his career, it gave greater weight to an earlier tune like this.

Tom Scholz had been mulling over the smash hit “Amanda,” which arrived this month in 1986 as part of Boston’s ‘Third Stage,’ for some six years.