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

Showing 2 responses by simonmoon

Look no further than almost the entire genre, and most of its subgenres, of progressive music.

In the 70’s, the vast majority of these bands, had a big orchestral sound. Mostly due to the use of the keyboards available at the time. Hammond organ, Mellotron (an instrument that used analog tapes of massed strings, choir, horns, flutes), String Ensemble, various synths, etc.

You already listed Procol Harum, who are sometimes considered a prog band, so you are partway there.

I could list pages of bands and albums to look for.

Yes - Close to the Edge

King Crimson - Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Starless and Bible Black, In the Court of the Crimson King, In the Wake of King Poseidon

Genesis - Foxtrot, Nursery Crime, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Wind and Wuthering

Premiata Forneria Marconi (PFM) - Storia di un Minuto, Per Un Amico, The World Became the World

Le Orme - Felona e Sorona

And from more recently than the 70’s:

Amglagard - Hybris, Epilog, Viljans Öga

The flower Kings - Stardust We Are, Unfolding the Future

Hostsonaten - Springsong, Winterthru, Autumsymphony, Summereve

And if you are in the avant-gard mood. Still big and symphonic sounding, but atonal, and ’thorny’ sounding.

Univers Zero - Heresie. Clivages, Implosion

Art Zoyd - Symphonie Pour Le Jour Où Brûleront Les Cités, Berlin, Génération Sans Futur

This is just a very short tlist.

@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.