Actor/singer Jon Patrick Walker premieres his latest single today on CelebMix. Called “The Guilty Party,” the song is from Walker’s forthcoming You And I EP, slated to drop May 11. Co-produced by Walker and Josh Kaufman, the six-song EP features the talents of Rene Hart (bass), Kaufman (guitars, keys), and Ray Rizzo (drums).
Walker began acting professionally when he was eight-years-old. Since then, he has appeared in film, television, and Broadway productions, including portrayals of Bruce Springsteen in High Fidelity, and John Lennon in 1969, as well as guest-starring in TV shows like Law & Order, Sex and the City, and Blue Bloods. Currently, Walker is playing the role of King George in the national touring company for Hamilton.
During the last five years, Walker ventured into the world of music, writing and recording, rekindling a previous love for music inspired by the Beatles, The Who, Harry Nilsson, and Paul Simon. The You And I EP follows two prior albums.
“The Guilty Party” opens with a drawling guitar flowing into a SoCal soft rock tune with pop undertones, along with a Dylan-esque folk tincture. Tight, compact guitars imbue the harmonics with hushed metallic tones that slant and sway with tantalizing potency. When the chorus kicks in, a tautly chinking piano gives the music depth and lustrous hues, as the resonant bassline thrums with pulsing dynamism.
Walker’s voice carries a delicious languid inflection and delivery akin to nonchalance blended with sensual aromas. The mixture infuses the song with a sweltering field of energy. Even though Walker’s voice is totally distinct from Bob Dylan’s, there’s an equivalent cool and minimal passion between the two, an aura of tightly controlled emotion that can’t be contained.
“The Guilty Party” establishes Jon Patrick Walker’s musical talent. The melody surges with dense harmonic colors while Walker’s expressive voice provides relentlessly attractive tones.
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