Jamie Bernstein’s albumWhoondang offers a variety of funky yet Southern sounds to piece together the eleven tracks. Officially released on May 6 of this year, Bernstein’s vocals are mellow and consistent throughout the bluesy/Americana songs about love, the life of a country boy, and, of course, “Whoondang.” The title track apparently tells the original story of popular song “Tipitina,” giving some pretty solid inspiration and iconic material for singer and songwriter Bernstein.
“Whoondang” is perhaps the album’s most memorable tune, followed by ballads “Talkin’ Bout Love” and the Southern tribute “Boy Out the Country.” Bernstein’s “Rude Boy Country” brings a new set of lazy yet happy notes for listeners to sway along to. Bernstein himself describes the album’s overall sound as “Rude Boy Country,” an eclectic mix that produces original Southern music.
Raised in the Appalachian Mountains, Bernstein spent his childhood loving and writing music and has been creating his album for the past two years in New Orleans. The mountains inspired his bluesy sound and New Orleans has given the perfect backdrop for song inspiration. Written in honor of his late mother, Bernstein’s music gives New Orleans a piece of Bernstein’s West Virginia life before his Big East lifestyle. This summer, the musician will be promoting his album at live music bars throughout the city, giving NOLA a peek into Whoondang. New Orleans’s own Jamie Bernstein has made a solid debut into the music world, and one that can only be improved with some more of his original music in the future. –Leith Tigges