Search - Foundations :: Build Me Up Buttercup: Complete Pye Collection

Mod Soul to Groovy Bubblegum Pop and all the rest too !

Lance V. W. | 06/27/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a great package and an example of an English band putting out a good soul sound.

This band was one of the first multi racial bands on the scene in England in the fantasic sixties.

The Foundations were the first to have a hit with the timeless and untouchable "Baby Now That I've Found You" in 1967 and that song paved the way for them and others too.

The Foundations were an unusually large group on the scene with 8 members and were also equally unusual with their ethnic make up and a range in age from 19 to 38 .

Four West Indians , three White Londoners and A Sri Lankan .

This diversity contributed to the sound that they made.



Clem Curtis who 38 years later is still going strong has now got a new record single released in 2005 "Stuck In A Wind Up" bw "Move Over Daddy" with Lord Large ..... and yes it's him ! and he was the original lead singer who sang on hits "Baby Now That I've Found You" , "Back On My Feet Again" .

At the suggestion of Sammy Davis JR left the group in 1968 to go solo and he was replaced by a slightly more poppier sounding Colin Young who sang on the smash hit "Build Me Up Buttercup" and "In The Bad Bad OLd Days"



This 3 x CD set contains just about the whole output of the band in the sixties and into the seventies.

CD#1 is all of the debut album "FROM THE FOUNDATIONS" and some other hits and extra songs.

CD#2 is all of their "DIGGING THE FOUNDATIONS" album

with some singles from 1969 and 1970.

CD#3 has Clem Curtis solo tracks , 2 songs from Colin Young / New Foundations and all of the live album "ROCKING THE FOUNDATIONS".



There are some interesting and unexpected surprises on this album.

Those who expect the Motown Soul sound or Pop Soul will be surprised when they hear "New Direction" and "Till Night Brought Day" which are edging on Psychedelia !

Or the Canned Heat Blues Rock sound of "I'm Gonna Be A Rich Man" or a real Down an' Funky instrumental "In The Beginning"



There is a lot to be said for this complitation which has some great soul contained in the three discs it has.

Another interesting thing is the songs that were written by its members. They have an appeal of their own.

The Trombone player Eric Allendale turned out to be a very good song writer and his efforts "Solomon Grundy" and "I Can Feel It" are excellent examples.



The band broke up in 1971 and some members carried on , most obvious were Clem Curtis who came back and formed another Foundations group , Colin Young with a rival Foundations (The New Foundations) and Allan Warner in the Progressive Rock Group Pluto.

This album gives a good serve up on the band in their time as the top soul group in Great Britain.



My picks on the album are "Baby Now That I've Found You" , "Come On Back To Me", "Mr Personality Man" , "Its All right" , "Why Did You Cry" , "Baby I Couldn't See" and "I've Never Found a Girl (To Love Me Like You Do)".

Actually I love the whole album as it is just so good and fun to listen and move to ."