At M-G-M

Rhino's two-CD collection is an extensive overview of Fred Astaire's years at MGM, most of which followed his return from premature "retirement" with Easter Parade in 1948. These songs aren't the equal of the set of great American standards collected on Rhino's companion volume Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers at RKO, and it would take encyclopedic knowledge of the films' visual elements to fully enjoy listening to some of the extended dance numbers. Still, the tunes include some of Fred's best, including "Stepping Out with My Baby," "They Can't Take That Away From Me," "You're All the World to Me," "That's Entertainment," and "All of You." Photographs, an extensive appreciation by Will Friedwald, and song-by-song credits round out this welcome package. --David Horiuchi