Cheshire Adventures
Edwin Wendler
" delightful, little synthesized score "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
Hello, I want to introduce you to something: Cheshire.
Cheshire began as one of several camps designed to encourage friendships between people with and without disabilities. They became a non-profit organization with a growing number of camps around the world. Every year they host a Hollywood style première, to present their screening of a short film they have participated on. As of July 2009, Cheshire has produced 5 short films, 3 of which are presented here. The Return of the Muskrats (pirate adventure / musical), Sky Squad Eagle Eight (superhero adventure), and Selling the Future: The Adventure of Lenny Maloney (time travel adventure). The composer on board was Edwin Wendler, a young Austrian composer who surely showed me that good music can be found, even in the most unlikely places.
We open with The Return of the Muskrats and we immediately discover that this isn't an orchestral score. Of course, this is perfectly understandable. But I wish that this would be orchestral, because the opener "Out to Sea" is simply put awesome. A heroic, piraty theme, a soaring opener, what would this stun in a large orchestral performance! And so I welcome you to music with a heart and soul.
The playful "Map & Mayhem" holds a pirate march, opening the road to a hectic arsenal of creative sounds. So forget about the fact that this is easy 'anyone can score this' music. Because that's not the case for "Sword Fight". I mean, this is pretty well structured music, having action, heroism and uplifting music, and therefore it deserves a bigger sound.
The return of the main theme in "Call to Arms", a sweet theme, fanfare and the pirate march in "Muskrat Judy", the extremely catchy "Doubt and Decision", the heroic ending of "The Plank & Rescue" and the addition of several bonus cues (where the alternate "Sword Fight" comes over as another nice surprise) are but moments in a very pleasing little score.
Besides adventure, there's room for songs. After all it sells it as an adventurous musical. We discover that the pirate march is the cool background tune for the very catchy "Captain Ron and Daggerface", while the totally pompous pirate song "It's Good to be a Pirate Mate" is simply put excellent. I mean, this is enjoyable music, and what it lacks in orchestral strength, it doubles through passion and delight.
After all this charming delight, I was wondering, what else could I expect? The answer was the superhero tilted Sky Squad Eagle Eight. The full answer would be, Wendler continuing to do good. I mean the mystery in "Billy's Quest" is cool, the ethnic vocal in "Hilda's Prophecy" surprising, the choir in "Eagle Wings" powerful, the heroism in "Save the World" cool as hell, the guitar work of Mike Ator in "Everyday Heroes" relaxing and the main theme in "Sky Squad Eagle Eight" wonderful. Easily put, this is music that functions and pleases.
In the third adventure, we travel back in time. Wendler goes for a slightly different approach here. We have some lazy jazz in "Hard Times" and we discover that Wendler isn't afraid to experiment. There's creative mixing in "Time for a Visit", there's an atonal opening in "Stuck in Time" (alongside some amazing wondrous mystery), there's percussion in "Time Travel", there are some explosive killer moments in "Fixing Time" and there's a nice resolving finale in "Good Times". There's even a tinkling motif that makes me remember back at Silvestri's music of Back to the Future. Coincidence? I think not ;-)
Whatever you expect or may expect after having read this, Cheshire Adventures isn't your basic Hollywood blockbuster. It's entertaining charm that is brought forward by love and enthusiasm of all the people involved. I was astounded by the mere fact that there is actually some good music in here. Like you, I've never heard of Edwin Wendler but I must say that this composer has potential. There are great ideas and great themes that would sell if they ever were performed by a real orchestra. So, perhaps a hint for Silva Screen. It is nice to receive countless performances of music of already released music, but perhaps you could do us all a favour by delivering performances of music that deserve an orchestral performance. And why not for free? I mean, it hasn't stopped the people of Cheshire for producing this charming, delightful little score.
Cheshire Adventures is now available on iTunes, Amazon MP3, and other online retailers. Five free tracks from the album are available for download at www.edwinwendler.com
The iTunes album download includes a digital booklet with information about the Cheshire Film Camp, as well as song lyrics, movie artwork, stills, and credits. 100% of profits will benefit the Cheshire Film Camp which is run by Zeno Mountain Farm. For more information, please visit www.zenomountainfarm.org.
1. Out to Sea! (2.32) Excellent track
2. Map & Mayhem * (3.17)
3. Ronnie's Lament: performed by Ron Simonsen (0.47)
4. Call to Arms (2.00)
5. Muskrat Judy (2.46)
6. Captain Ron and Daggerface: Will Halby (1.56)
7. Doubt and Decision (2.15)
8. The Plank & Rescue (1.19)
9. Sword Fight (4.01)
10. It's Good to be a Pirate Mate: Will Halby (1.17)
Bonus Tracks
11. Wrap Party (1.46)
12. Soap Much Drama * (1.09)
13. Words of Wisdom * (1.54)
14. Plan of Attack * (1.27)
15. Sword Fight (Alternate) * (2.44)
16. The Return of the Muskrats Trailer (1.23)
Sky Squad Eagle Eight
17. Billy's Quest (1.46)
18. Dad's Secret (1.16)
19. Hilda's Prophecy * (1.31)
20. Eagle Wings (2.37)
21. Joining the Squad (0.47)
22. Save the World (2.04)
23. The Discovery * (1.12)
24. Everyday Heroes +* (3.30)
25. Sky Squad Eagle Eight (1.58) Excellent track
Selling the Future: The Adventure of Lenny Maloney
26: Starting Time (0.38)
27. Hard Times (3.19)
28. Time for a Visit (1.10)
29. Stuck in Time (3.11)
30. Time Travel (3.24)
31. Times have Changed (3.40)
32. Fixing Time (2.56) Excellent track
33. Good Times (2.11)
* include outtakes and / alternate versions
+ composed by Mike Ator
Total Length: 69.43
Cheshire began as one of several camps designed to encourage friendships between people with and without disabilities. They became a non-profit organization with a growing number of camps around the world. Every year they host a Hollywood style première, to present their screening of a short film they have participated on. As of July 2009, Cheshire has produced 5 short films, 3 of which are presented here. The Return of the Muskrats (pirate adventure / musical), Sky Squad Eagle Eight (superhero adventure), and Selling the Future: The Adventure of Lenny Maloney (time travel adventure). The composer on board was Edwin Wendler, a young Austrian composer who surely showed me that good music can be found, even in the most unlikely places.
We open with The Return of the Muskrats and we immediately discover that this isn't an orchestral score. Of course, this is perfectly understandable. But I wish that this would be orchestral, because the opener "Out to Sea" is simply put awesome. A heroic, piraty theme, a soaring opener, what would this stun in a large orchestral performance! And so I welcome you to music with a heart and soul.
The playful "Map & Mayhem" holds a pirate march, opening the road to a hectic arsenal of creative sounds. So forget about the fact that this is easy 'anyone can score this' music. Because that's not the case for "Sword Fight". I mean, this is pretty well structured music, having action, heroism and uplifting music, and therefore it deserves a bigger sound.
The return of the main theme in "Call to Arms", a sweet theme, fanfare and the pirate march in "Muskrat Judy", the extremely catchy "Doubt and Decision", the heroic ending of "The Plank & Rescue" and the addition of several bonus cues (where the alternate "Sword Fight" comes over as another nice surprise) are but moments in a very pleasing little score.
Besides adventure, there's room for songs. After all it sells it as an adventurous musical. We discover that the pirate march is the cool background tune for the very catchy "Captain Ron and Daggerface", while the totally pompous pirate song "It's Good to be a Pirate Mate" is simply put excellent. I mean, this is enjoyable music, and what it lacks in orchestral strength, it doubles through passion and delight.
After all this charming delight, I was wondering, what else could I expect? The answer was the superhero tilted Sky Squad Eagle Eight. The full answer would be, Wendler continuing to do good. I mean the mystery in "Billy's Quest" is cool, the ethnic vocal in "Hilda's Prophecy" surprising, the choir in "Eagle Wings" powerful, the heroism in "Save the World" cool as hell, the guitar work of Mike Ator in "Everyday Heroes" relaxing and the main theme in "Sky Squad Eagle Eight" wonderful. Easily put, this is music that functions and pleases.
In the third adventure, we travel back in time. Wendler goes for a slightly different approach here. We have some lazy jazz in "Hard Times" and we discover that Wendler isn't afraid to experiment. There's creative mixing in "Time for a Visit", there's an atonal opening in "Stuck in Time" (alongside some amazing wondrous mystery), there's percussion in "Time Travel", there are some explosive killer moments in "Fixing Time" and there's a nice resolving finale in "Good Times". There's even a tinkling motif that makes me remember back at Silvestri's music of Back to the Future. Coincidence? I think not ;-)
Whatever you expect or may expect after having read this, Cheshire Adventures isn't your basic Hollywood blockbuster. It's entertaining charm that is brought forward by love and enthusiasm of all the people involved. I was astounded by the mere fact that there is actually some good music in here. Like you, I've never heard of Edwin Wendler but I must say that this composer has potential. There are great ideas and great themes that would sell if they ever were performed by a real orchestra. So, perhaps a hint for Silva Screen. It is nice to receive countless performances of music of already released music, but perhaps you could do us all a favour by delivering performances of music that deserve an orchestral performance. And why not for free? I mean, it hasn't stopped the people of Cheshire for producing this charming, delightful little score.
Cheshire Adventures is now available on iTunes, Amazon MP3, and other online retailers. Five free tracks from the album are available for download at www.edwinwendler.com
The iTunes album download includes a digital booklet with information about the Cheshire Film Camp, as well as song lyrics, movie artwork, stills, and credits. 100% of profits will benefit the Cheshire Film Camp which is run by Zeno Mountain Farm. For more information, please visit www.zenomountainfarm.org.
1. Out to Sea! (2.32) Excellent track
2. Map & Mayhem * (3.17)
3. Ronnie's Lament: performed by Ron Simonsen (0.47)
4. Call to Arms (2.00)
5. Muskrat Judy (2.46)
6. Captain Ron and Daggerface: Will Halby (1.56)
7. Doubt and Decision (2.15)
8. The Plank & Rescue (1.19)
9. Sword Fight (4.01)
10. It's Good to be a Pirate Mate: Will Halby (1.17)
Bonus Tracks
11. Wrap Party (1.46)
12. Soap Much Drama * (1.09)
13. Words of Wisdom * (1.54)
14. Plan of Attack * (1.27)
15. Sword Fight (Alternate) * (2.44)
16. The Return of the Muskrats Trailer (1.23)
Sky Squad Eagle Eight
17. Billy's Quest (1.46)
18. Dad's Secret (1.16)
19. Hilda's Prophecy * (1.31)
20. Eagle Wings (2.37)
21. Joining the Squad (0.47)
22. Save the World (2.04)
23. The Discovery * (1.12)
24. Everyday Heroes +* (3.30)
25. Sky Squad Eagle Eight (1.58) Excellent track
Selling the Future: The Adventure of Lenny Maloney
26: Starting Time (0.38)
27. Hard Times (3.19)
28. Time for a Visit (1.10)
29. Stuck in Time (3.11)
30. Time Travel (3.24)
31. Times have Changed (3.40)
32. Fixing Time (2.56) Excellent track
33. Good Times (2.11)
* include outtakes and / alternate versions
+ composed by Mike Ator
Total Length: 69.43