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Review:
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ALovely Doris Brendel is the daughter of top classical
ivory tickler Alfred Brendel, she sang on The Violet Hour’s
classic 1991 album The Fire Sermon released on Sony, and
she is a member of the party band The Bet Lynch Experience
AKA Treacle who have just played a mind boggling 1200 dates
in the last six years, so she has quite a pedigree. Her
last album in 2003 was issued under the moniker DB, so this
is technically her debut album under her own name. The album
is like a compendium of classic rock all written by Doris
which perfectly suits her glorious smoky Joni Mitchell meets
Joss Stone meets Matthew Bellamy voice. I had better give
you a quick run through to show what’s on offer within these
grooves. Opener ‘What Are You Saying’ with its almost yodelled
hook is like Muse crossed with Mostly Autumn, then the title
track ‘The Last Adventure’ has a more Beatles flavour with
an injection of Queen (live video on Female Voices Blog),
followed by the Stevie Wonder/Jools Holland esque funky
R’n’B of ‘I’m Not Old, I’m Experienced’ (I couldn’t agree
more!) complete with vamping clavinet and a touch of Katie
Tunstall. ‘Latest Fantasy’ moves into Corrs/Karnataka territory,
but with her drummer Steve Clark doing a burst of John Bonham
giving it some real oomph, and it features Doris’s signature
flageolet, but before you get over excited, it’s actually
a musical instrument and member of the flute family. A mix
of Sunny Afternoon and Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy merge
for ‘What Have I Done’, ‘Work in Progress’ is Muse inspired
dramatic wackiness, and then the Undertones turn up for
‘Get a Life’. ‘Your Almost Perfect’ reminds me of Wings,
before Jamiroquai joins Lenny Kravitz for ‘Be My Guitar’,
time to get down and shake your booty. ‘Why Are You Still
Here’ sounds like Muse jamming with Focus, Camel and The
Stranglers, ‘My Town’ has a touch of Joss Stone and Jools
Holland R’n’B, and lastly she rounds things off with the
Beatles like ‘Memory’, if I remember right. It is all lovingly
produced by head henchman and guitarist Dave Beeson with
a subtle retro feel, i.e. real musicians playing real instruments
instead of a computer generated confection. If you love
any type of classic rock, then you will adore this collection
of classic songs available from her website http://www.dorisbrendel.com/
. I certainly hope that this is not her last adventure,
a most enjoyable 8.75 out of 10.
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