The Lost Counts are a group from Austin, Texas. The group is formed by Josh Perdue on Guitar and vocals, Nate «Count» Basinger on Hammond, and Bobby Trimble on drums. So far, they have recorded a single and a lp, the single is composed of 2 songs of their own, Bad Ideas and New Clichés, a great song halfway between R&B and Jamaican sounds and Hoppin’ Dogs, instrumental R&B with Stax sound. The single was released in 2012 and until 2016 we have not heard from them again, it is in his year that their Lp appears simply titled “The Lost Counts”. In this album, in addition to the trio, we find Eve Monsees on guitar and vocals, Billy Horton and Bobby Perkins on bass and Brad Houser’s collaboration on sax on one of the songs. The album consists of 12 tracks, 10 of them are own songs and two are versions, I’m A Fool to Care by Art Neville and Loud Mouth Annie by Myles & Dupont. The album opens with the theme Soup Kitchen, a very elegant instrumental with an organ and a guitar that hooks at the first listening. Next, we have the great version of I’m A Fool to Care by Art Neville, with a super harmonic arrangement. The next song is “Ain’t Got You” a perfect part-time R&B in the line of Johnny «Guitar» Watson in the 50’s. The album continues with the festive “Loud Mouth Annie” of “Myles & Dupont”, a pure New Orleans-style party, but with an organ that replaces the winds of the original giving a new air to the song. Bobby Perkins Twist is the next song, a very festive theme which seems taken from the repertoire of The Phil Upchurch Combo. Is There A Doctor in The House? It is the song that closes the face A of the album, a perfect and wonderful ballad that seems taken directly from the repertoire of some classic R&B artist of the late 50’s or early 60’s. Wasted Time is the theme that opens face B a muscular Texan-style R&B theme. Fun in the Sun is the next song, without a doubt my favourite of this face of the album, full of nuances with an organ that envelops everything and creates a super elegant climate and wonderful Doo Wop choirs. Neon Lights is a manual R&B with a dragged rhythm and a beautiful organ that winds from start to finish. Have Mercy, Baby! is pure party, you can imagine go go’s with high boots dancing like crazy. Knocket Out is a great song in horseback between the first-time Soul and the R&B, it could be perfectly a theme of James Hunter repertoire, Cattle Call is a thrilling instrument with a very cool jazzy point. To summarize, a great album with influences from R&B, Memphis-soul, Doo Wop, Jazz, Boogie, vintage Ska, etc.. Saving the distances, this band would have to be a framed within the musical parameters of the last work of Jimmie Vaughn or James Hunter, for example.
