“He has a wonderfully soulful voice and a great sense of melody that makes me want to write and sing better and try harder.” That’s Ron Sexsmith’s endorsement of Peter Elkas in advance of the Toronto musician’s sophomore album, Wall of Fire, produced by Charlie Sexton.
Peter describes the record as “soulful and smooth, but with a rough edge” and says listeners can hear his love affair with the 1970s sound on the tracks. Bill Withers, Bruce Springsteen, Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye were his musical heroes during the writing process for Wall of Fire. Their influence served him well.
“It is inspiring music for songwriters, romantics and fans of honest soul,” says Joel Plaskett, fellow Canadian songwriter and musician. “Aspiring soul men must take note: Wall of Fire causes jealousy and then inspiration,” he continues. The first time Peter heard the final master of the album, he was actually driving to Ottawa to play a show with Plaskett. “I’ve never been so excited,” he remembers. Using the last few minutes on his pay-as-you-go phone, he called Charlie Sexton, who helped mold the record. “I told him it sounded killer.”
Peter’s Wall of Fire odyssey began as he was promoting his first solo album – Party of One – in 2004. Before going it alone, he’d spent 12 years with the Montreal band Local Rabbits. He started making music with them in high school, but after three albums it was time for the group to part ways. Peter’s path took him to Party of One and gigs opening for Sexsmith, Plaskett, Feist, and k-os.
On tour Peter often found himself working solo on stage, thrilled to be getting his music out, but longing to be performing with the full band he’d assembled. “It’s one of the reasons I continue to play, the interaction with others.