Any number of U.K. musical performers who found fame in the 1970s did so after apprenticeships of one kind or another in the '60s -- Elton John most famously, with acts like Simon Dupree. His Lion King lyrical collaborator Tim Rice plowed similar furrows, as well as producing and songwriting before Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Jesus Christ Superstar helped make his and Andrew Lloyd Webber's names. That's My Story is an overview of his late-'60s work, both on his own and working for and with others, including a number of other soon-to-be-familiar names such as Lloyd Webber and Murray Head. Rice's professional solo debut , a 21-track collection, opens and closes with the title track, with the latter appearing in Spanish! -- showing that Rice himself was a fine enough singer, though his slightly downbeat vocals don't quite jibe with the polite post-Beatles rock & roll backing. But both his efforts and more notably, those of other performers here show that he had an aptitude for the kind of theatrical pop/rock that acts like the Walker Brothers and Paul & Barry Ryan helped make famous, and which makes his later musical successes understandable in context. Nothing on the disc is truly a lost classic as such, but it's a disc of enjoyable moments, including the two tracks that Head wrote and performed -- one called, with sunny spite, "You Bore Me" -- and six collaborations with Lloyd Webber, most famously the splashy, Mike Leander-produced Ross Hannaman single "Down Thru Summer," which was much later reworked into Evita's "Buenos Aires." With Rice himself providing enjoyable liner notes reflecting on his wood-shedding days, That's My Story is a footnote more than a crucial career collection for all involved, but a sometimes striking one nonetheless. ~ Ned Raggett

The Harvey Girls, starring Judy Garland, John Hodiak, Ray Bolger and Angela Lansbury, depicted the gradual civilizing of the Southwest, this time in the form of Fred Harvey, Sr.'s restaurant chain and philosophy. Not to leave it at that, of course, the film also had love stories, romantic interludes, grand vistas, and huge production numbers. The result might have been thin in terms of straightforward plot, but it did serve as the vehicle for some wonderful music. This album compiles all of the available material, including underscore, and tacks on a handful of supplemental tracks, including an alternate end title piece. As always, the booklet includes copious notes about the film, the production, and the music. This is another gorgeous release, with some very welcome stereo mixes from the existing MGM angles -- the production work on these soundtrack releases continues to be astonishing. ~ Steven McDonald