Where do we start with Doris Brendel? She was born into a (very) musical family. Her father was the award winning classical pianist, composer, and lecturer, Albert Brendel, and her brother is the renowned concert cellist Adrian Brendel. Doris along with her band The Violet Hour signed a major label deal in 1990 and released the Pete Brown produced The Fire Sermon album and two singles (‘Could I Have Been’, ‘Falling’) the following year, as well as supporting Marillion on their Holidays In Eden tour. Since then she has worked with the likes of Sam Brown, former Marillion vocalist Fish, Alvin Lee, and Gary Moore, released an album by her “rock band”, Holy Cow, as well as releasing a raft of solo albums, a number featuring her partner in crime, and music, Lee Dunham. Throughout this time she has also been active on the live front, whether supporting Fish, or appearing at HRH Prog with her band, or performing at more intimate events. Not content with treading water her last album, Big Blue Sky (2025) explored her blues side and hit #2 in the IBBA blues album chart on release.

Once again working alongside producer/collaborator Chris Tortioli who also worked on her Dog Eat Dog World, and Facade albums, 2026 sees the arrival of another of Doris’s “in between” albums (her 7^th), and features ten brand new tracks, displaying her alternative take on life, love, and music. Opening with the gentle acoustic sway of ‘Orange & Cinnamon’ the heavy background riff paves the way for what is in store, while demonstrating more progressive leanings than much of the Doris Brendel catalogue. The Wednesday Adams/Monster High attitude of the main protagonist of the first single’s video, ‘I Don’t Want to Go to Heaven’ is one you won’t want to share with your kids (or grandkids). This girl has issues. Taking the vibe down, ‘Unconditional Love’ brings Doris’s smoking vocal front and centre as well as featuring her beautiful Irish whistle entwined with the accompanying string arrangements. Elsewhere, ‘I Wanna Be Sherlock Holmes’, and ‘Middle-aged Teen’ rock things up adding the heavy elements to proceedings, while, ‘Together Apart’ waltzes its way into your brain and stays there for days with an infectious Hammond driven chorus and souring lead guitar solos. Proving that pop music isn’t an exact science ‘Searching for Snails’ has an 80’s keyboard lilt which mixes Kraftwerk synths with glockenspiel and an earworm worthy bouncy pop vocal. I can’t wait to see the band on stage in their “hats, macs, and Wellies” on the next tour. ‘Tired of Waiting’ lulls the listener into a false sense of security with the jazzy saxophone and scat phrasing, before Brendel throws her toys out of her pram in obvious personal frustration, “Why don’t you get a watch… why don’t you get a watch”, in what she quite rightly labels as “Jazz Fusion Elevator Metal”. ‘Fly My Broom’ introduces Doris the ‘Steam Punk Witch’ and is the perfect example of her mix and match take on the music world. Is it classical… is it prog… is it pop… one thing is for sure… it’s epic. Closing track ‘I Like Your Mother (More Than You)’ blends storytelling gold with more of her characteristic Irish whistle, this time adding a little folk to the Doris Brendel musical tapestry. Searching For Snail is as heavy in places as anything from throughout her comprehensive library but throws every shade and emotion into the pot to ensure that the audience never get bored. One thing that I am sure of is that each time I listen to recherche d’escargots, it makes me smile, and surely that is the point. Not bad for an “in between” album.

Searching For Snails is already accompanied by three fabulously entertaining AI generated videos which showcase Doris’s ultra-quirky sense of humour and style. Still something of an enigma in the music business due to the unclassifiable nature of her material, Doris Brendel continues to stretch the boundaries of the conventional genres to create a sound which is totally “Doris”. You can catch her (& Lee) at Chinnor Bike Daze, Princes Risborough on 4^th July, The HOT BOX, Chelmsford on 16^th July, or Prog The Forest on 6^th December at The Fiddlers Elbow, London. In the mean time continue Searching For Snails.

• Reviewed By Peter Brockwell.
• Searching For Snails is released via Sky-Rocket Records On 25^th May 2026.
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Track List:

1. Orange & Cinnamon

2. I Don’t Want to Go to Heaven

3. Unconditional Love

4. I Wanna Be Sherlock Holmes

5. Together Apart

6. Searching for Snails

7. Tired of Waiting

8. Middle-aged Teen

9. Fly My Broom

10. I Like Your Mother (More Than You)