With ‘Break Up the Concrete,’ released Oct. 7, 2008, the Pretenders found their old edge – but not with a return to hard-driving punk styles.

‘Talk Is Cheap,’ released by the Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards on Oct. 3, 1988, was an island of rock and roll grit in a sea of shallow glitter.

Every song from Taj Mahal’s ‘Maestro,’ released on Sept. 30, 2008, was a change up. He’s a Swiss Army knife of the blues.

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.

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

Ben Folds’ ‘Way to Normal,’ released in September 2008, found him recalling past glories, even as he became ever more potty mouthed.

‘The Incident,’ released this week in 2009, helped establish Porcupine Tree as a melodically inclined, less wank-inclined progressive rock band.

The Electric Light Orchestra never rocked harder than they did on “Do Ya,” released this week in 1976 as part of ‘A New World Record.’

Bernie Worrell’s ‘Improvisczario,’ released this week in 2007, is bubbling over with grooves. That’s not the surprising part.

With ‘Baboon Strength,’ released on Sept. 9, 2008, Charlie Hunter didn’t waver so much between an R&B-influenced feel and the abstract.