Riding into Town
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
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CD Review by Mark Loebl - Long Island Acoustic Movement Riding
Into Town" Tom Hood is one of the more prolific local recorders of music having previously released “The Ballad of the Unknown
Gentlemen”, “Ain’t No Kin of Mine”,
“Way Out” and “ Love Waits for No One” but his latest, “Riding Into Town” is his
best yet. Accompanying Tom are John Brzoza on lead guitar, Paul Gilmore on bass,
Tom Peterson on drums and Joe Behar on trumpet. John Brzozas’ guitar work on “Breaking Stones” is haunting and
provides a perfect counterpoint to the seriousness of the lyrics. The muted
trumpet of Joe Behar on “Pretty Senorita” is the perfect touch for this
South-of-the- border inflected tune. The rollicking “No Mas,No Mas”, a song about
partying too much is probably my favorite track. “The Well” is a rocker about tempting
fate too often with more excellent guitar work from Brzoza. For a quiet ballad
try “Whisper in My Ear”. CD BABY Reviews FREE ARTIST NETWORK COMMENTS
by Tom Hood and the Trailmen
author: Lauron Lewis
For anyone who likes Western music and is a fan of fun lyrics and catchy tunes, this album is a must hear. Mr. Hood has a great voice and the back up band is very tight yet fluid. I loved it all!
author: Anne Sheridan
I truly enjoyed this CD. The title song has a catchy tone. Contigo is a beautiful love song. Every song on this CD is a hit with me. It has a nice mix.
I liked Riding Into Town.
The Well rocks a little like Suzy Q. I like it. Driving rock.
