The Cinema – My Blood is Full of Airplanes

It’s hard to talk about The Cinema without bringing up where they came from. While this particular project is new, the history of this duo extends back just a bit further. Leighton Antelman was the lead singer of the band Lydia that had received both critical acclaim and tremendous fan support. However, those two dreaded words…”creative differences,” turned out to be the beginning of the end. While that project hasn’t completely disappeared, Antelman has moved on to something new.

Lydia fans have flocked to keep up with him and his not-so-new partner Matt Malpass. The producer of several Lydia albums, Malpass brings the foundation to Antelman’s melodies, and those fans that have come along for the ride should not be disappointed.

My Blood is Full of Airplanes is electro-pop with heavy hooks and easily identifiable lyrics. Antelman’s signature voice shines throughout the ten tracks, showing why Lydia had such success over the last decade. Malpass works like a surgeon in the background, deftly adding and taking away where the mood suits him, creating incredible beats and melodies.

Each of the ten tracks is in the three and a half to four minute range following the perfect formula for radio-friendly pop music, and there is no shortage of tracks that have that type of ability here. “Picasso” and “Kinetic” are examples of how Antelman and Malpass have blended their strengths to create a few minutes of pop bliss. The hook in both tracks will play in your head long after you turn the music off and the production hits on all cylinders.

Opening track “Satellites” is something along the lines of what you would expect a band like New Order would be doing now if they came out in this era instead of decades ago. Strong beats and synth work combined with those distinct vocals and a catchy chorus, provide the perfect first impression for new Cinema fans.

Tracks like “The Wolf” and “Kill It” show where Malpass takes his foot off the gas and lets Antelman step forward and lead with that signature voice. The heavy effects are more subtle here, letting the vocals drive it home. The title and closing track also provides this, as it is probably the softest of all tracks on the album. There’s no holding back here though, with lyrics like “Get it right this time, I’m throwing lassoes at the sky, Catching moments as big as my eyes.”

The strongest track on the album may be “Say It Like You Mean It.” It’s another fine example of well-blended production and strong vocals. The rhythm, like most tracks on this album, is strong enough to get you moving, but not overwhelming where it buries the other little details, whether it is the hand clap beat or layered Antelman background vocals.

There is very little not to like in this first The Cinema album. My Blood is Full of Airplanes is short, less than 40 minutes. Like good pop, it leaves a sweet taste in your mouth that creates the need for more than one listen. Only this sweetness doesn’t require a trip to the dentist.

Album Name: My Blood is Full of Airplanes
Genre: Indie, Pop
Location: Atlanta, GA
Members: Leighton Antelman, Matt Malpass
Label: Independent
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thecinemamusic
Soundcloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/the-cinema
Tumblr: http://itsthecinemamusic.tumblr.com/

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