The Savage Rose - In The Plain (1969/2005 JP Limited Remastered Edition)
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Album: The Savage Rose - In The Plain (JP Limited Remastered Edition)
Released: 1969 (2005)
Styles: Psychedelic, Prog-Rock
Group Biography: AMG
CD: Polydor/Universal UICY-9469, Rock Legend Series
This Danish band was quite popular in Scandinavia. It's said their first album was outsold only by the concurrent Beatles release. They certainly posessed a sound all their own, and while the overall style of In The Plain is definitely psychedelic, it has elements that can be described only as progressive. Masterminded by brothers Thomas and Anders Koppel, and starring the soulful voice of the diminutive Annisette, who has been stylistically compared to Janis Joplin but really sounds like no one I've ever heard before. Her high-pitched voice may sound grating and shrill to the uninitiated, but one would hardly expect to hear such an impassioned singer in a Scandinavian band. The band had a very distinctive line-up, bass, guitar, vocals and drums along with piano and organ, played by Thomas and Anders, and harpsichord played by Thomas' wife Ilse. The sound created by the three keyboards interacting is quite original. The band also experiments with auditory landscapes on the dreamy "God's Little Hand" and the beautiful "I'm Walking Through The Door." The rest of the album is psychedelic rock-soul of the highest order, with the odd folkie touch; as on "Evening's Child," which has Thomas playing a Persian santour (hammer-dulcimer). The closing track, "A Trial In Our Native Town" with its laborious Vanilla Fudge tempo, gurgling cathedral Hammond organ, roaring guitar and Annisette's aching vocals, is one that is sure to make psych fans salivate. The other album I have, Your Daily Gift, is more folk-prog than psych-prog. Ilsa Koppel took maternity leave from the band, reducing the line-up to a six piece. Some of the tracks are pretty lame and dated sounding, like "Listen To This Tune From Mexico," with its inane lyrics and Vegas-lounge organ. But "Speak Softly" is a beautiful R&B oriented ballad, one of Annisette's best vocals performances. "Tapiola" is a seven-minute free improvisation, pretty interesting stuff. "Unfold" is a sort of country-rock-folk mix with slide guitar joined by harpsichord! The title song closes the album appropriately, the bright, optimistic lyrics neatly contrasting with the sad, gloomy tone. The minor-chorded piano, and brushed drums work well for this song, the use of accordion adds a creepy element. - New Gibraltar Encyclopedia Of Progressive Rock
In the Plain by Denmark's Savage Rose has a striking cover photo with psychedelic color coordinated band members surrounded by wild pink lettering of the group name. Inside is innovative music, pretty much living up to the typical Polygram hype from this era written on the back cover. "Let's See Her" sounds like Ten Wheel Drive meets Vanilla Fudge; brothers Anders Koppel and Thomas Koppel wrote seven of the eight tracks, and created with this one clever sound and arrangements. The sleeper on In the Plain, though, is the one non-original, five minutes and 38 seconds of "Ride My Mountain," a composition by Jade. It's a wonderful production number where Anisette's vocal scream out over the very together instrumentation. The back cover photo reflects the intensity of "Ride My Mountain," the band looking like exiles of Charles Manson's clan in the positive of the back cover photo, a larger negative version above it making this import very hip. The Savage Rose look like they are auditioning for the film The Savage Seven. The opening track reminds one of a hipper Peanut Butter Conspiracy, and there is no doubt that Savage Rose find more inspiration in their music than similar bands from the era. The production is somewhat like Davd Briggs' work on Alice Cooper's Easy Action, while titles like "The Shepherd & Sally" are as experimental as anything on that early Cooper disc. Having the male vocals on "His Own Happiness" is unnecessary, sort of like Big Brother & the Holding Company letting Janis Joplin take a time out. Thankfully, Anissette comes back after a mini-instrumental interlude for a rare look at the band's sangfroid. It is also interesting to hear Thomas Koppel's to-be ex-wife, Llse Maria Koppel, on harpsichord backing his next wife, Anissette. "Evening's Child" is like a psychedelic powwow of jazz-influenced garage rock which cascades into the dirge that is "A Trial in Our Native Town." Without the polish producer Jimmy Miller would bring to the mix on Refugee, In the Plain is a very good look at a highly creative band. - Review by Joe Viglione, AMG
1. Long Before I Was Born - 3:19
2. I'm Walking Through the Door - 4:28
3. Let's See Her - 3:52
4. Ride My Mountain - 5:38
5. Shepherd and Sally - 5:18
6. His Own Happiness Gods Little Hand - 4:19
7. Evening's Child - 3:25
8. Trial in Our Native Town - 7:08
Annisette - Vocals
Anders Koppel - Organ, Piano, Keyboards
Ilse Maria Koppel - Keyboards
Thomas Koppel - Organ, Piano, Keyboards, Vocals
Alex Riel - Drums
Jens Rugsted - Bass, Guitar (Bass), Vocals
Nils Tuxen - Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm)
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