The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - Classic ABBA (1981)

ABBA songs done by an orchestra. Absolutely beautiful, rich renditions of pop classics, even if you're not so keen on the group themselves. Check it.

Sample: "Gimme Gimme Gimme, Summer Night City"

- Jake

St. Vincent - Strange Mercy (2011)

St. Vincent is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Her singing varies from being soft and adorable to screams for help. Her songs are melodies that vary from sweet, to bitter, to heavy atmosphere but are all done in a way that only St. Vincent can do it, making love to your ears. Strange Mercy is her third studio album, and is one hell of an album too. With enough attention paid to this album, you'll have a bond with every single track on this album, too. Her best work, in my personal opinion, and probably even album of the year 2011. Go get it!

Sample: "Dilettante"

- Alessandro

Clare & the Reasons - The Movie (2007)

So already, this album cover should be a fairly clear indicator of what to expect: at least something along the lines of "cinematic," right? Quite so. In this case, of the baroque pop variety. Featuring contributions from Van Dyke Parks and Sufjan Stevens, The Movie is chock-full of lush string arrangements, day-dreamy compositions, sharp songwriting, breezy guitar work, and delightful feminine coos with an old-fashioned sound to it. If you like Lana Del Rey, you can appreciate their same sort of retro-Golden Age Hollywood aesthetic. If you hate Lana Del Rey, you can appreciate they're a better version of her.

Sample: "Science Fiction Man"

- Jake

(major props to Alessandro for making me aware of them, in the first place)