If you have been craving some country rooted rock these days then "Dust In Your Hands" by Tom Hood and The Trailmen might be right up your alley. Their lineup of songs sets them apart from most rock acts with the addition of fiddle and mandolin both of which are well blended in the mix. Hood takes on the song "Caught In The Rain" with a very inspired Johnny Cash influence making for a great crossover tune. One of the standout tracks is "Back To The Baja" which features some nice lead guitar work and a bouncy groove that could be heard on any Jimmy Buffett or Traveling Wilburys album. Don't expect any classic style cowboy tunes on "Dust In Your Hands" because it's sheer rock/country entertainment.

CD Review...Aural Fix Magazine

Riding Into Town
by Tom Hood and the Trailmen

As one-half of the duo The Unknown Gentlemen, Long Island's Tom Hood has released half a dozen CD's with bandmate Paul Carden. There are many good songs on those discs, but lost amid production that often seemed like demos, with drum-machines and one-man overdubs. So it is good to have Tom going 'solo' on his new CD "Riding Into Town," ironically with a bigger band! Paul Gilmore on bass and Tom Peterson on drums provide a solid live rock band feel for these mostly Western-themed tracks. But the real delight here is local guitar hero John Brzoza on lead. Whether giving  Mexican stylings to "Pretty Senorita," Caribbean atmosphere to the Jimmy Buffet-ish "Mailboat Man," or going all-out for "The Well," and especially in a Stevie Ray Vaughn style rave-up on the seven-minute "Breaking Stones," Brzoza always shines, giving these easygoing songs depth and sparkle. Hood's vocals are relaxed and appealing, and he adds competent harmonica here and there. The southwest/Mexican atmosphere continues throughout the disc, from the cowboy-movie title track, through the bilingual ballad "Contigo," to everyone's  favorite barroom sing-along, "No Mas No Mas."
This will definitely rate in my Top Ten for 2008.
www.thetrailmen.com

reviewed by Hank Stone

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CD Review by Mark Loebl - Long Island Acoustic Movement

September’s Show Ramblings
Current mood:  breezy
Category: Music

Foe tea lights flicker on a few scattered tables coffee house style, once panelled walls & tin ceilings are now painted matte black and accent the charcoal sketched portraits in contrasted ornate gold frames. I sit on an old blue love seat positioned early in the night by me, with a comfortable view of the band. Another edition of Original Voices at the Vail has begun.

Tonight Tom Hood & the Trail Men are on our black box stage. Tom is someone I've known for years now through the open mike scene. He's an islander in more ways than one, having lived on more than one island himself & written songs about all of the above. We originally met at one of my open mikes & since then we've both frequented each other's open mikes & have met at all of the many crevices Long Island musicians inevitably see inbetween.

"No mas tequilla!" The voilinist & guitarist are trading solos & Tom is sporting a blue Hawaiin shirt & declaring "No mas tequilla!" Campy on paper, maybe - but the crowd is enjoying it thoroughly. The next song is a complete departure. Perhaps Tom Petty meets Cinnamon Girl. The ripping, screeching, yet dreamy guitar solos are a side show unto themselves. Hat's off! ;)

J