World’s First Cinema – Something Of Wonder

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On their Fearless Records debut, World’s First Cinema expand upon their starry-eyed vision for the movies and theater that they first tinkered with on their EP (2023’s Palm Reader) with the newly-released Something Of Wonder. The band’s first taste of the new direction they took on this record came with the lead single of “Hold My Own,” a sprawling, riff-heavy track that is in the same realm as bands like American Authors and Panic! At the Disco. World’s First Cinema is the duo of John Sinclair (piano/violin/arrangements) and Fil Thorpe (former vocalist of Neck Deep). On the “Hold My Own,” the band shared, “This song came together after a stretch of touring, where we found ourselves drawn to the high-energy moments in our set. We wanted to capture that feeling in a fresh way, and this track was the result. It felt like the perfect opener for the album—almost like a red herring for what’s to come. It makes a bold statement: we can make music that sounds like this, but we choose to take the album in a direction that’s less expected and, for us, way more exciting.” By adding that dramatic flair to their music, Something Of Wonder lives up to its name in more ways than one.

After the great lead single and intro track of “Hold My Own”, the band gets into a comfortable orchestral groove on “Freak Show” that showcases their Panic!-type influences in this scene. “The Underneath” is a mid-tempo track that allows for Thorpe to lend his smooth vocals over with a soulful style, while “Paranoid” finds Fil Thorpe whispering in the intro, “I think I’m paranoid…” The second single explores the depths of the feeling of paranoia, while Sinclair’s arrangement sets this band apart from the other Panic! clones.

”End Of My Rope” is another heartfelt song/single that features an all-time vocal powerhouse performance from Thorpe, much like American Authors’ soulful album, Seasons. The themes the band explores here are instantly relatable, and they make an immediate impact on the listener. “Broken” features some cool beats and production from Fran Hall (Imagine Dragons, ZAYN), and the reprise, at the end of the record, includes a cameo from London-based rapper, JD Cliffe. “Holy Ghost” bellows over the solid piano strokes and has a steady stomp to it, while “Say Anything” is heart-on-my-sleeve ballad about looking for the right words to say in a fractured relationship.

”Into Pieces” largely relies on an acoustic guitar as Fil Thorpe pulls up a chair and invites the listener into his early life. “Sweet World” finds Thorpe at his most thankful of the life he has been given, and “Postcard” closes out Something of Wonder with some picturesque storytelling over a piano-laced song. There’s plenty to love and enjoy on World’s First Cinema formal debut record, and this is likely just the beginning a fruitful partnership between Thorpe and Sinclair.

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