Midwest Dilemma: Justin Lamoureux - Vocal, Guitar Elizabeth Webb - Vocal, Clarinet Jaclyn Six - Flute Nicholai Johnson - Vocal, Electric Guitar Django Greenblatt-Seay - Banjolin, Mandolin Joye Trimmell - Cello Tyler Cook - Upright Bass Benjamin Arunski - Tuba Matthew Arbeiter - Percussion Vince Krysl - Percussion
Family & Friends: Alessi - French Vocals Benjamin Brodin - Vibraphone Brian Corey - Trumpet Clark Drinkall - Vocals, Piano David Downing - Cello Jason Ferguson - Mandolin Mike Friedman - Pedal Steel Deborah Greenblatt - Viola Pomposa Brad Hoshaw - Vocal, Guitar Adam Lamoureux - Vocal, Tenor Saxophone Alexander Lamoureux - Vocal Phillip Lamoureux - Vocal Dan McCarthy - Accordion David Seay - Musical Saw Kate Williams - Accordion, Trombone Sarah Xiong - Vocal
Sounds Like
"Timelines & Tragedies does an extraordinary job of telling the immigrant’s story, one that distills the shared experience of severed roots and the dismembering and intimidating shift out of the safe boundaries of home into an uncertain future." - Frederick Foxtrott
"Midwest Dilemma has created a brave, introspective and genre-bending first offering with Timelines and Tragedies." - Tracer Magazine
"Acoustic Americana, with a subtle instrumental backing that dips from old folk to stylized cinescape." - Song, By Toad
"Midwest Dilemma has constructed a journey for the spirit." - Canadian Audiophile
"Lamoureux is a stream, it doesn’t matter if for a time he is only trickling through rocks and soil, his conviction is the rainfall, pouring much needed force sustenance to the stream – it can’t be stopped. He will find his ocean; it’s inevitable." - CityWeekly
"Using strings, woodwinds, guitars, accordion and a musical saw this album catapults itself to the upper echelons of folk music." - Here Comes The Flood
"Midwest Dilemma feels like a band that must not only be heard, but witnessed." - Enough Cowbell
"Above all, there is an inexplicable power to Timelines & Tragedies that gives it such an epic quality." - Radio Indy
"If you would have told me earlier in the day that I’d kick off the start of my weekend sitting around listening to 400 years of family history, I probably would have told you to piss off. After learning that factoid from the press sheet for the release of Midwest Dilemma’s Timelines & Tragedies, I’m pleased to report that I’m doing exactly that." - Rock Sellout
"This is an album for our times." - Metric Reflection
1. Montreal
2. Françoise
3. Fur Trader
4. The Great Depression
5. Generals Orderly
6. Good Samaritan
7. Chicago and North Western
8. Timelines & Tragedies
9. Lucille
10. Renault
11. Sioux City
12. Omaha
13. Damage Is Done
MIDWEST DILEMMA – A guitar, cowboy cut shirt, red trucker hat, and an old passenger van on open road. Justin Lamoureux has been performing under the name Midwest Dilemma for nearly five years. Many know Midwest Dilemma as Omaha based folk-rock band who's debut release Timelines & Tragedies was nominated Album Of The Year at the Omaha Entertainment Awards show this year. The album also charted College Music Journal (CMJ) Top 200 based on college radio play shortly after the release.
Lamoureux enlisted friends, family members, and musical acquaintances to help create the music on Midwest Dilemma's Timelines & Tragedies album. Twenty-three members to be exact. Such instruments as Flute, Clarinet, Tuba, Trombone, Saxophone, Accordion, Cello, Viola, Trumpet, Singing Saw, Upright Bass, Vibraphone, Pedal Steel, Mandolin, Piano, Percussion, and Electric Guitar give the record an orchestral folk and chamber pop sound, similar to Arcade Fire, The Decemberists, Sufjan Stevens, and Bright Eyes.
Timelines & Tragedies is a time line of family history. Tracing Lamoureux's ancestors to their days of French Canadian fur trading, the Great Depression, the struggles of his parents' generation with Vietnam, and eventually concluding with his life in Sioux City and Omaha. Timelines & Tragedies is the perfect outcome of Midwest Dilemma's vision.
Midwest Dilemma - plays RAGBRAI July 19th!'s Friend Space (Top 16)
Midwest Dilemma - plays RAGBRAI July 19th! has 7826 friends.
Justin, wow. You are a true "troubadour" telling meaningful stories of happiness and sorrow. So well done. The Great Depression is so moving, and the emotion the female harmonies bring is incredible. The instrumentation and production on Good Samaritan is so well done. Thanks for the friendship, I appreciate it. Best of everything to you. Damn, well done!!!!
loved your interview on BTR.....Thank you so much for stopping by! interesting note. "the great depression" Arthur was the name of the second owner of our house. He and his father actually built this house..he wasn't supposed to sell it according to "pepe". but the poor dude was like 96
Hey guys. Saw you at the Roman awhile ago on recomendation of a friend from Omaha. I love what you are doing. I would be honored if you would check out some tracks from my new album, AMEN on my profile now. Also I'll be at Barley St. Tavern next Tuesday (June 2) kicking off my summer tour. It would be great if you could come out. See you around.
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