The Circle by Bon Jovi

On their last album, 2007's Lost Highway, Bon Jovi veered off the Jersey-rock turnpike, taking a detour into country terrain. While they didn't exactly shake up Nashville, it was nice to hear them shake up their style. The Circle, solid if unsurprising, returns the hair-metal survivors to well-teased territory. Indeed, there is a sense of deja vu throughout, with tracks like the recession-ready "Work for the Working Man"-its bass line ripped straight from "Livin' on a Prayer"-reminding you of a better earlier one from the band. But arena anthems like "We Weren't Born to Follow" still pack fist-pumping punch. Best, though, is the nostalgic ballad "When We Were Beautiful," on which Bon Jovi's sound is as well-preserved as their leader's looks.