"World's First Cinema" Debut Record "Something of Wonder" (ALBUM REVIEW)

The Pop Punk Dad
Jul 19
5 min read

World's First Cinema recently dropped their debut full-length record "SOMETHING OF WONDER" via Fearless Records. The alt-rock/pop-punk duo that is Fil Thorpe (formerly of Neck Deep) and an orchestral pianist. violinist John Sinclair, brings together something most unique, combining the classical world with the rock world.

Their 2023 EP Palm Reader was influenced by 1920’s Silver Screen era, featuring a vintage aesthetic. For this debut album, the duo sought something bigger and fresher. Drawing inspiration from avant-garde 70s cinema, particularly films like Jodorowsky’s ‘The Holy Mountain,’ they aimed to create something iconic, timeless, and more impactful than anything they have done before.

Driven by their perseverance and creativity, the group has created a debut album that shows unparalleled depth and innovation. Their music is rooted in the influences of film scores, which has always been a cornerstone of their sound and identity. They incorporate a wide range of sonic influences – from pop, EDM, and even ‘90s rock – into the sound of Something of Wonder.

I had one of the coolest experiences recently to actually interview John of World's First Cinema at the 30th Annual Vans Warped Tour in Washington DC. You can check out that entire interview right here!

When I heard that World's First Cinema was "orchestral meets pop-punk" I was immediately all-in. Bands that take a genre and bend the norm are always up my alley, it's how I first fell in love with artists like Fleshgod Apocolypse, and even Baz's Orchestra who played NOFX's The Decline with an entire orchestra, but I digress.

The album title for World's First Cinema's album Something of Wonder feels so very fitting when you're hit with a sense of wonder by the first piano notes struck on the opening track HOLD MY OWN. The ooo's and ahhh's open the track up into a pop verse which builds into this bridge/chorus with layers of vocals that sound like a vocoder on the voice , giving this awesome electronic pop vibe that drives into this heavy pop-punk fill. The rest of the track keeps building, adding more distorted guitars which abruptly end before the lyrics of the last chorus is spoken.

Track 2's FREAK SHOW is a straight electronic pop banger from the jump of the song. The whole tune screams trap/EDM with the familiar hint of pop-punk. Distorted vocals, distorted guitars, distorted drums, hell I think even distorted triangle is in this song, the track lives up to the song title's name. Track 3's THE UNDERNEATH has the same electronic vibes as FREAK SHOW but with a slower tempo and a piano replacing the distorted guitars, and no, there's not a distorted piano on this track; however, that's something I'd love to hear.

PARANOID in the headphones is sonically eerie and sick at the same time. The track starts out with whispering lyrics "I Think I'm Paranoid" which jumps into this almost nu-metal beat reminiscent of Tool or early Marilyn Manson vibes. The back half of the track layers out into a total pop-trap track, leading the listener down a rabbit hole of layered chorus to an abrupt end. END OF MY ROPE feels like a palate cleanser as it's a slower tempo and almost acoustic groove of the entire track, almost giving the listener who's been listening since track 1, a feeling of theatre play intermission, end of act 1 if you will.

If the last track was the end of Act 1, then BROKEN is the start of the tragedy in ACT 2. The track opens strong with synth patches, layered pianos and vocals. The lyrics "I won't be broken by this quiet place, won't lose my way", are both haunting and inspirational, which opens up the tune into a trap-like beat almost half way through the song which continues throughout the entire track with haunting lyrics, vocal overlays and heavy bass hits. Speaking of haunting, track 7's HOLY GHOST opens up that way, with a ghost-like vocal harmony that breaks into almost a modern nu-metal meets trap beat. The flow of the entire song has this almost marching-like aspect to it with heavy emphasis on the downbeat on the 1 and 3 of every measure. Sorry for getting a little nerdy on this one.

Both track 8's SAY ANYTHING and track 9's INTO PIECES feel like brother and sisters of eachother with the former of the two's SAY ANYTHING being a prodominantly piano/keyboard filled tune and INTO PIECES having a lot of acoustic guitar, something that feels new on the album as a whole. Both tracks have this modern pop ballad feel to them while sonically totally different dilivering bass drops on SAY ANYTHING and no drums. atall on INTO PIECES.

Track 10's SWEET WORLD feels like a sonic rollercoaster, starting out slow and quiet then building with this beast crescendio that fills the majority of the song before feathering off at the end into nothing but a single piano stroke at the end. Track 11's POSTCARD feels like a love letter to the entire album. Its haunting lyrics of love, love loss and time apart can feel relatable to any listener, while the meloncholy piano melodies and chords are layered in the background as to not overshadow the lyrics as a whole.

Track 12's BROKEN (FT. JD CLIFFE) is a track that John and I talked about at Warped Tour. While both track 6's BROKEN and this one are esentially the same song, JD CLIFFE's rap bars on top of the track give it a whole different meaning and life. The original chorus is still intact with Cliffe breaking up the dynamic with his own verses of never losing your way and finding your way back to one's true self.

World's First Cinema's album SOMETHING OF WONDER is a record that any avid pop-punk fan who likes a break in monontony needs to listen to. The album has songs about love loss, hope, grief and happiness all rolled into an orchestral, melancholy, upbeat, pop album

WORLD FIRST CINEMA's album SOMETHING OF WONDER is OUT NOW!

Check out more below!

WORLD'S FIRST CINEMA - BROKEN (FT. JD CLIFFE)