As they did with Elvis Presley, Sony Legacy has taken vintage material by Roy Orbison and given it an extra modern romance. This time, they added the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to give an extra Puccini effect to rock’s Pagliacci.
Some of the original recordings already had strings, but the RPO’s interpretations give a more modern feel. Thus “It’s Over” and “Crying” surround Orbison with a bit more nuanced drama, while the hip “Uptown” and “Mean Woman Blues” add a fun bit of swagger. A duet with Ward Thomas makes “I Drove All Night” a treat, and more recent material such as “You Got It” sounds as fresh as today’s bagels. An enjoyable addendum.