Jefferson Starship: Spitfire (1976, Grunt/Rhino, Quadio Blu-ray, 42:46). This was the third studio album by the spinoff band from Jefferson Airplane. It peaked for six consecutive weeks at No. 3 in the Billboard album chart and attainrf RIAA platinum certification. It became the first Jefferson Starship release to chart in the U.K., reaching No. 30. The first single, "With Your Love," peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard charts, while the follow up "St. Charles" reached No. 64.

Jefferson Starship had become one of America's biggest rock bands thanks to the multiplatinum success of the previous year’s “Red Octopus” and its smash hit “Miracles.” The band was playing arenas and stadiums, as well as headlining big festivals. However, cracks began within the group. First, singer/songwriter Grace Slick broke up her seven-year relationship with guitarist Paul Kantner. Second, there were ongoing problems with singer/songwriter Marty Balin, who refused to sign a long-term contract with RCA/Grunt and only worked on an album-by-album basis, especially as he had written “Miracles.” Among the fanbase, there were increasing charges that the group had betrayed its earlier underground credentials as Jefferson Airplane and had sold out to corporate rock interests.

The main lineup would stick together for only one more album, 1977’s “Earth,” before Slick, Balin and drummer John Barbata all left the band. Mickey Thomas would become the main singer starting with 1979’s “Freedom at Point Zero” album.

When work began on “Spitfire,” the band's lineup was the same, except for the absence of Papa John Creach, who had quit the band to concentrate on his solo career. The band opted for a “formula” similar to “Red Octopus,” with Balin writing another soft rock ballad, "With Your Love," with former Jefferson Airplane drummer Joey Covington and guitarist Vic Smith. It clearly is one of the two best songs on the album, with the other being the opening “Cruisin’,” which opens with a laugh. It is a funk-rock driving song, also sung by Balin, and the quadrophonic mix offers good separation of the guitars. “Cruisin’” was written by Charles Hickox, who, like Smith, was another Balin bandmate from Bodacious DF.

Slick is heard more on “Dance with the Dragon,” a group-penned hard rocker, featuring Craig Chaquico’s guitar riff. Slick also sings the fine “Hot Water,” which has more good guitar and which she wrote with Peter Sears, and the Moog-layered piano ballad "Switchblade." Sometimes the keyboards sound like sirens on the latter. “St. Charles,” the longest track at 6:38, is a more languid power ballad, although it moves into psychedelic and hard rock territory. “St. Charles” closes with another lengthy Chaquico solo.

Kantner's psychedelic-prog opus "Song to the Sun" is divided into two sections, with the opening ambient instrumental "Ozymandias," credited to all the band members except Balin, and the longer "Don't Let It Rain" having lyrics by Kantner and his daughter China. It turned out to be one of the last numbers by the band to reference the 1960s countercultural themes.

Barbata co-wrote (with ex-Flying Burrito Brother Chris Ethridge) and sings the bluesier “Big City,” before Balin ends the album with his “Love Lovely Love,” which moves into a more rock-disco sound. As with all four Quadio releases, the disc also contains a DTS Stereo version of the album. Grade: B+

Hot Tuna: America’s Choice (1975, Grunt/Rhino, Quadio Blu-ray, 44:48). This was the fifth album by the blues rock band that included former Jefferson Airplane members Jorma Kaukonen (vocals, guitar, main songwriter) and Jack Casady (bass) and the first of their "Rampage" trilogy albums (the others would be “Yellow Fever” and “Hoppkorv”). Completing the now-power trio lineup was new drummer Bob Steeler.

Seven of the eight tracks were penned by Kaukonen, with some help from Casady on "Funky #7." Ironically, "Hit Single #1" was not released as a single, despite it being the album’s most appealing track, with its catchy riff being both melodic and tough. Other highlights are the bluesy "Funky #7,” with its late fuzzy guitar; their cover of Robert Johnson’s “Walkin’ Blues”; the more melodic “Invitation” (here the guitar travels between speakers); and the darker “I Don’t Wanna Go,” with its heavy drums.

The longest track is “Serpent of Dreams” (6:52), which tells a tale via a quavery vocal. There is good guitar playing on the closing “Great Divide: Revisited.” Grade: A-

America: Hearts (1975, Warner Records/Rhino, Quadio Blu-ray, 36:30). This was the fifth studio album by the West Coast folk rock trio. It was produced and arranged by George Martin (The Beatles), the second of six consecutive albums he produced for America.

Despite only have two standout songs, both written by Gerry Beckley, the album was a big hit in the U.S., reaching No. 4 on the Billboard album chart and being certified gold by the RIAA. It produced three hit singles: the lovely “Sister Golden Hair,” which topped the Billboard singles chart and reached No. 5 on the adult contemporary chart; “Daisy Jane,” which peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard singles chart and No. 4 on the adult contemporary chart; and the funky "Woman Tonight," which reached No. 44 on the Billboard singles chart and No. 41 on the adult contemporary chart.

The standout songs are “Sister Golden Hair,” with its nice guitar and some doo wop in the chorus, and “Daisy Jane,” which opens the album with heartbeat percussion and adds their close harmonies and Martin’s strings. “Half a Man,” with the Quadio version providing more separation, is very Beatlesque, while “Company,” with its echoed vocals, is more of a rocker.

The vocal harmonies are dominant on both the soft “Midnight,” which has lush strings, and “Old Virginia.” “Tomorrow” is a bit overtaken by its strings.

Among the other songs that received radio airplay on FM stations were "Company," "Old Virginia," "Bell Tree" and "Midnight." Throughout the album, the arrangements are nice, but few of the songs really stand out. Grade: B-

War: Why Can’t We Be Friends? (1975, Avenue/Rhino, Quadio Blu-ray, 44:40). This was the seventh studio album by the funk rock band. There were two singles released from the album:  the title track, backed with "In Mazatlan"; and “Low Rider,” backed with "So." Both A-sides were nominated for the Grammy Awards of 1976. The title track has a sing-along chorus (and mentions the CIA), while “Low Rider” is a classic, with good separation in the Quadio mix.

They are not the only standout tracks on this generally excellent album, which starts with the strong “Don’t Let No One Get You Down,” with its upfront drumming by Harold Brown. It has nice horns too. The mix of the “Lotus Blossom” ballad has the keyboard separated out. “Heartbeat” is repetitive funk, while the piano-led “Lenny’s Latin Lament” slips into Latin music in the four-part number. It has an immersive sound mix.

“Smile Happy” is a happy instrumental that turns more percussive. “So” is a quieter, softer song. The album closes with the two single A-sides sandwiching “In Mazatlan.” Grade: A

The Replacements: Let It Be (Twin/Tone /Rhino, 3 CDs). This is considered one of the greatest albums of the 1980s and a cornerstone of indie rock. The landmark 1984 album is newly remastered for this expanded edition from Rhino, which includes unreleased studio and live recordings, as well as all of the extras from the 2008 rerelease.

It is a post-punk album with coming-of-age themes. The story goes, the album was recorded after the band had grown tired of playing loud and fast exclusively, as on their 1983 “Hootenanny” album. Vocalist Paul Westerberg has said the group decided to write songs that were more sincere.

The album opens with highlight “I Will Dare,” which has a good beat. “Favorite Thing,” more punkish, follows. “We’re Comin’ Out” is a fast rocker with a rough guitar solo. The quieter “Androgynous” is a love song, while highlight “Black Diamond” rocks nicely. Other highlights are “Unsatisfied,” a protest song, and the more melodic “Seen Your Video.”

“Gary’s Got a Boner” is a humorous song, co-written with Ted Nugent, while there are ringing guitars on “Sixteen Blue.”

The set gathers a wide range of unreleased material from the album’s sessions, including alternate versions of “Gary’s Got a Boner” and “Favorite Thing,” as well as previously unreleased outtakes “Who’s Gonna Take Us Alive” and “Street Girl.” The alternate version of “Androgynous” features a different vocal take and the full piano intro, restored for the first time. All five bonus tracks from 2008’s expanded edition are included here, also newly remastered for this set. There are 14 tracks on disc two, the rarities and B-sides collection. They include covers of The Grass Roots’ “Temptation Eyes,” Marc Bolan and T. Rex’s “20th Century Boy,” the DeFranco Family’s “Heartbeat – It’s a Lovebeat” and Hank Williams’ “Hey Good Lookin’.”

Disc three is “Goodnight! Go Home!” It is an unreleased 28-song performance recorded in August 1984 at the Cubby Bear in Chicago. Sourced from an audience tape and newly remastered, it finds the Minneapolis quartet charging through material from the not-yet-released album (“I Will Dare” and “Unsatisfied”), early favorites (“Color Me Impressed” and “Takin’ A Ride”) and characteristically offbeat covers “Help Me Rhonda/Little G.T.O.” (originally done by The Beach Boys/Ronny & The Daytonas) and “Can’t Get Enough” (Bad Company).

The set comes with a 24-page booklet. As a music journalist and singer-songwriter from the critically acclaimed D.C.-based pub-rock band the Paranoid Style, Elizabeth Nelson writes in the liner notes, “In form and function, The Replacements were the ultimate rebuke to masculine punk, and ‘Let It Be,’ at its core, is a record for girls.” It also is a record for the terminally shy, and for anyone who ever felt like a freak in their own skin.

The second essay in the booklet is by Peter Jesperson and discusses the making of the album. Grade: set A