Thom Huhtala

“Fork Tongue” which gives us an amazing 1967-1969 San Francisco sound with echo and reverb, taking me back to ”Psychotic Reaction”. There is a cover of the Psychotics “If You Don’t Believe Me, Don’t“, which has some of the best reverb guitar I have heard in a long time. “High School” delivers Leonard Cohen like vocals-more spoken than sung, and a sound that seems to have been recorded under water. No, really. Check it out!. “Ego Killer” continues with wonderful vocal and guitar effects, and a very cool riff. In “Spaced On The Commons“, the vocals seem to emanate from under the instrumentation, like a weird dream or a very cool trip. The guitar is again devastatingly cool and there are elements of The Doors, “The End“. - icantbelievemyears

The Thom Huhtala Band came to the newspaper office last weekend to talk about their sound and perform bits of their first album, Mercury, which is soon to be released on vinyl and CD. Before they were the band, the members -- Thom Huhtala (guitar, vocals), Bryan Goman (drums), Geoff Fogden (bass, horn, organ), and Andrew McGill (guitar, pedals) -- met at a monthly music event held on the fire escape of a downtown Toronto loft building, where they all happen to reside. This led way to jam sessions at a studio (Studio Dynamic) run by Fogden and Goman in one of the building’s lofts. The band coalesced late in 2011 with the addition of its last member, McGill, to create the sound that they have today... - The Newspaper (University of Toronto)

The Thom Huhtala Band have seen a busy 2012. They've played some high profile gigs around Toronto, recorded a new album and well, it seems each four members is always playing an instrument and doesn't ever bother to stop to eat or sleep.

My first encounters with these boys was at a group of lofts that Thom says is too secret and too special to even name the exact location. What I will say is that, in downtown Toronto, there is a group of lofts that are populated by various artist's live-in studios. Rehearsal spaces, photography studios, recording studios, art galleries that host live performances... It's a true and beautiful art community. It's like a halls of residences but strictly full of promising upcoming artists...

- ArtRocker Magazine

The Thom Huhtala Band have seen a busy 2012. They've played some high profile gigs around Toronto, recorded a new album and well, it seems each four members is always playing an instrument and doesn't ever bother to stop to eat or sleep.

My first encounters with these boys was at a group of lofts that Thom says is too secret and too special to even name the exact location. What I will say is that, in downtown Toronto, there is a group of lofts that are populated by various artist's live-in studios. Rehearsal spaces, photography studios, recording studios, art galleries that host live performances... It's a true and beautiful art community. It's like a halls of residences but strictly full of promising upcoming artists...

- ArtRocker Magazine

The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) - Bryan Goman, Thom Huhtala, and Loft 404 ~ The Ambrosia Hub
The Ambrosia Hub (263 Adelaide Street West, fourth floor)

All are invited to experience a screening of the 1928 classic The Passion of Joan of Arc accompanied by a live soundtrack performed by local musicians. There is only one performance, at 11:11 p.m., but the space will be acting as a rejuvenation oasis with warm drinks and art installations from 9 p.m. until dawn.

Highlights: Warm drinks, tasty treats, and a relaxing atmosphere, this is the perfect spot to chill out.
Warning: There’s only one performance. - Torontoist

As the New Year approaches, I thought it would be appropriate to discuss how 2011 went down with singer/songwriter Thom Huhtala. “2011 was a very good year for me. It was this past year that I really started playing a lot around Toronto.” Thom, an original Dundas resident, released two EP’s this past year, one called Roland Hunter and the second titled Braindead. Roland Hunter was recorded when Thom was in Halifax. The album is an amalgamation of 6 months of work. Braindead was made shortly after Thom moved to Toronto and met drummer Bryan Goman who he eventually collaborated with. “A lot of the songs we recorded at a jam session one night at 3am in one take. Now I’m starting to plan out my albums over time.”

Thom moved to Toronto this past June and felt very comfortable with Toronto’s music scene. “I feel that there is a lot more exposure in Toronto. It’s not the same as Halifax. There are a lot of people here and they just seem ready for music. There’s no where else I’d want to play music in Canada.”

Thom is currently working on his first LP entitled Mercury. “The album is a little dark. It’s still a work in progress and it’s coming together slowly. I’m not sure how to describe it’s atmosphere but it comes from a weird place.” The songs on this album are more structured with compositional pieces such as Riverside blues and Forty dollars to Dundas.

With his new album in the works, Thom has already promised a headlining show at Lee’s Palace on January 5th 2012. He was also recently offered a residency at Motel at Queen and Dufferin every Wednesday starting January 18th. Thom will be playing two sets, one consisting more of original Thom Huhtala Material, and the second will play from 1am-2am. It will be similar to an open concept blues jam with some poetry and heavy improvisation. “I think that the feel were trying to achieve is that of an old speak easy,” says Thom. “The blues have always meant a lot to me, and I think they couple with whiskey very well.” The owner of Motel, Danny Graves has promised $4 whiskey drinks and $5 premiums every Wednesday.

Thom is planning on releasing “Mercury” in early 2012.

To hear Thom’s music go to thomhuhtala.bandcamp.com or click on www.facebook.com/thomhuhtala for more info. - In the Green Room

Thom Huhtala, "Where We Can Still Go"

Thom Huhtala sings in near-empty silence, and "Where We Can Still Go" echoes with faraway mystique and the weight of captured dream energy. His vocals are airborne, fluttering with the strum of his guitar and skip of drums. - BLOG T.O

From the musty banks of Nick Smith:

Listening to Bad River is like tubing down a big warm glowing stream with buds, wearing your most comfortable sweater and seeing it all through your favourite filter (mine’s magic-hour). It’s a pleasant voyage that’s immediately intimate, wrapping you up like a dip in perfect-temperature water. Thom Huhtala picks these tunes from the primordial mud of our collective consciousness, and envelops them in layers of murky drift. The bits that emerge above the stalled shoreline and fasten onto our minds ring out high and clear, like the cicada song of late-summer blues. - Weird Canada