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Big orchestral sound in pop, rock etc.

Most of the times pop, rock, soul etc. music is done by the same basic band (guitar/bass/drums) and one or more singers. Now I´m looking for albums that go bigger, where the band uses more musicians to produce a bigger sound. I´ve always been a fan of Elvis´ early 70s live albums and recently came across a few more live albums that may not share the same musical sensibilities, but which have a big orchestral sound: More people playing instruments, more background singers, full stage, full sound. I like that. Maybe you know a few more examples of musicians and bands that dared to go big. I don´t neccessarily mean the “XY plays his old hits with an orchestra“-thing even though that can result in great recordings too. Here are some big sounding albums I like:

Joe Cocker – Mad Dogs and Englishmen
Procol Harum – Live in Concert With The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
Elvis – All the big Vegas shows from the early 70s
Sufjan Stevens – Illinois
Chicago – First few albums (still working my way through them)

chmaiwald
chmaiwald OP
79 posts
 

@bdp24 We´re entering neo-classical terrain here – that´s not exactly what I meant in the original post, but still: I´m listening to this right now and it has beautiful moments.
To be honest, the arrangement of „River Deep, Mountain High" is a bit too much for me, distracting from the song.
I´ll check out the other albums you recommend though, Nitzsche surely know how to handle an orchestra.
One more adventurous release I can recommend is „Ys“ by Joanna Newsom. It´s all harp and singing plus a full orchestra (arranged by Van Dyke Parks). She´s really taking folk into new directions there.

@pops Thank you! Maybe this will finally get me into Elton John. Before I heard „Mad Dogs and Englishmen“ I wouldn´t have touched Joe Cocker records with a stick, but I´m glad I gave it a try.

bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,788 posts
 

@chmaiwald: I got the Joanna Newsom album because of the involvement of Van Dyke Parks, and even after multiple listens haven’t been able to get into it. I’ll try again!

Speaking of Van Dyke Parks, his debut album Song Cycle is another heavily orchestrated album, and a stunner. Also an audiophile quality recording.

tylermunns
601 posts
 

@chmaiwald If Mad Dogs and Englishmen is your cup of tea, then I’m sure you’d love Tumbleweed Connection, Honky Château, and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John. Very Leon Russell-esque (the bandleader, musical director and co-producer of Mad Dogs and Englishmen, and someone who Elton considered a mentor and inspiration) especially those first two.  
I’d throw in Elton’s Madman Across the Water, albeit with the caveat that it is not as great an LP, top-to-bottom, as the others, but YMMV.

simonmoon's avatar
simonmoon
515 posts
 

@chmaiwald 

 I can already return the favour and recommend Magma´s „Mekanik Destruktiv Kommandöh“: On the one hand it´s really out there on the other it´s so rhythmic and rocking, a bit of a take it or leave it thing. I love it.

I am already very familiar with Magma!

Love them! Seen them live several times. Incredible. Truly terrifying levels of musicianship by all members of the band. 

They are also one of the only prog bands that I know of, that continue to create new music, that rivals their earlier material in quality. 

K.A. (2004)

Ëmëhntëhtt-Ré (2009)

Félicité Thösz (2012)

Are right up there with their best of the 70's.

 

 

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