Week eight of the Networking series. This week I’m writing about a Northwest Indiana general contractor. A lot of people probably don’t think that social media is of much use to a builder, construction company, or an architect.  Jeff Eriks, on the other hand, thinks differently.  He believes in and practices the art of social media.  By using Twitter and Facebook along with the companies multiple websites, he is able to let people know what they’re doing as a company.  This also allows customers and potential clients to give feedback to the company.  And Jeff is always learning how to use social media more effictively to help propel Cambridge Construction further as a Northwest Indiana commercial builder.

As an Indiana commercial builder, he knows the importance of staying on the forefront of his industry and doing what it takes to keep connected to his potential customer base.  One way he does this is through multiple web sites.  If you’re looking for anything to do with construction, architecture, or the solid waste industries, you only need to visit one website for a Northwest Indiana general contractor.  Here you’ll find links to his blog, www.constructionandwaste.com where you can read about tips, insight, and more on these industries, and you’ll be able to access his site for Northwest Indiana design and architecture company, IN-Cambridge Architects.

If you or a business you know is looking for a company to handle your construction needs, or if you’re just looking for someone with experience to talk to, contact Jeff Eriks and his company one of the following ways:

On the website

Jeff on Facebook

Cambridge Construction on Facebook

Cambridge Construction on Twitter

As usual, thanks for reading!  I hope that I’m able to help expose everyone that reads to some new and useful resources in northern Indiana.

Cheers,

Josh Walker

Indie rock band As Tall as Lions have a solid release on their hands with “You can’t Take it With You”, their fifth album to date (if you don’t count their self-released EP, “Blood and Aphorisms).  The band at the core is made up of the New York quartet (that has been together since high school, nonetheless) and have seen some rough times in the last few years, as is evidenced in their dynamic and versatile work on this album.  This album was a somewhat stressful experience for singer Dan Nigro.  The group has experienced a handful of traumatic experiences including the departure of a musicians and eventually vocalist Nigro.  The band reformed before beginning work on their self-titled album.  While working on “You Can’t Take it With You”, the group went through three different producers in the production of the album.  Yet you can’t tell when listening to it.  As a whole, the album is a cohesive piece of work, all the while allowing each track to stand on its own individually.

I was able to talk with the Dan Nigro (vocals/guitar), Saen Fitzgerald (guitars), and Cliff Sarcona (drums) before one of their shows and ask them a few questions about their band, their music, and how it all works.

On You Can’t Take it With You there is a great mix of musical styles throughout.  Vocally, the album is pretty consistent and similar from track to track.  Instrumentally, they really keep you on your toes.  This is one of those albums that grows on you.

Opening track Circles is a perfect fit for the track #1 slot.  If you’ve never heard As Tall as Lions before, it serves as a great introduction to the group.  This is the first work I’ve heard from them, so it was a good first impression.  This track has backing percussion and drumming that is very uptempo and syncopated, with Nigro’s vocals laying nicely on top.  About three and a half minutes in, you’re formally introduced to the electric guitar.  It’s there from the start, but pretty standard.  At this point we hear Fitzgerald’s guitar break out of the standard with some tremolo picking and high sweeping notes.  This is a great way to introduce the album and band.

The title track You Can’t Take it With You is a relaxing number to start.  It has some easy-going bass with some dissonant bells and electronic drums at the intro, before breaking into a pleasing melodic chord progression at the chorus.  This is what I refer to as a “ying-yang” song, with the verses and chorus not being of quite the same vein, though when played in conjunction they flow seamlessly.  Song writing like this shows a groups ability to grasp the concept of music in general without sticking to the typical chord progressions and musical styles.  If a band can pull off a track like this and make it sound legitimate, I really appreciate it.  When they actually write the song from their feelings and cast aside any preconceptions of how it should sound, I commend that.  ATAL did just this on the title track.

In Case of Rapture is a track that opens up with a catchy “aye-yi-yi” melody from Nigro.  This is another example of the bands ability to mesh multiple influences together and have them work together.  A subtle pad from a smooth church organ and the tireless drumming of drummer are another example of balancing the music in yet another aspect.  Nigro’s vocals are enjoyable in the way that you get the sense that he is just singing what he feels like singing without paying to much concern to the standard constraints of the usual musical writing technique.  Just after two and a half minutes, the band goes into a half-time feel before bringing it right back into the normal format of the song, doing so quite smoothly.

We’s Been Waitin’ has an old time feel to it with Nigro’s gritty radio-EQ’d vocals and a sultry piano layer.  The background vocals and tamborine really help take you back a few decades, all the while keeping you in the 21st century.  A touch of horns and it rounds out nicely to help differentiate it from the rest of the album.

Overall, the latest release from As Tall As Lions is an album worth checking out.  It’s an interesting piece of work by a few guys that have been playing music together since high school.  Years later they’re still at it playing shows and making ears happy nation wide.

You can follow As Tall As Lions on MySpace, Twitter, and Facebook.  They are currently touring, so check out their schedule and catch a show in a venue near you.

I recently did a review of The Civil Wars “Live at Eddie’s Attic” release.  The Civil Wars are made up of Joy Williams and John Paul White.  Their music is raw and real.  I enjoyed it enough that I was compelled to learn more about them.  Here you’ll get to check out be talk with them.  They are currently working on a full-length album, but you can get their EP and live album in the mean time.  If you’ve never heard this group, give the singe “Poison and Wine” a listen.  These guys are great at taking you back a few years to a slower time through their music.  Also, follow The Civil Wars on Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace while you’re at it.

Check out the interview and then go on over to NoiseTrade.com to pick up their current album, “Live at Eddie’s Attic”.

Interview with The Civil Wars from Josh Walker on Vimeo.

As I’m getting close to wrapping up my networking series, I’ll be writing about yet another individual in the Indiana mortgage loan industry.  Steve Dalton is a Northwest Indiana mortgage banker that knows the first time home buyer market.  He is also an expert on first time home buyer and VA loans as well.

My wife and I just bought a house a few months ago, so it’s somewhat funny that after moving back to northern Indiana I’ve gotten to know a few of the best Northwest Indiana mortgage lenders in the area.  They would have come in handy before I moved back!  However, I know that my wife and I intend to purchase another home at some point, so it’s always good to keep in contact with the people that know what they’re doing.  And I’ll be making sure to recommend Steve to friends and other people I know that are in the market in Northwest Indiana.

Steve takes a personal approach to the lending process.  If you go to his Northwest Indiana mortgage website you’ll see that he takes time to answer people’s questions about the process.  He is also very good at keeping an eye on the market in general and updating readers about any fluctuations and changes to look out for.  If you’re looking for a solid lender to help you in the new home buying process, give Steve Dalton a call.

I’ve had the chance to talk with Steve a few times.  He knows the industry, but he’s also just a great guy to get to know all around.  Even if you’ve already bought a house, it’s still a great idea to keep up with the latest news.  Steve can help you make the right decision at the right time.

You can also follow Steve on Twitter and keep up to date on his Northwest Indiana mortgage blog.

As usual, thanks for reading!

Cheers,

Josh Walker

I’m happy to say that I had the pleasure of reviewing The Civil Wars thanks to a recommendation by a good friend.  This group was a stark contrast to the dynamic and full band sound of Lydia (whom I reviewed in the first week of this series).  It was a good contrast, though.  Very stripped down and “naked” sounding.

To start off, this particular album is titled “Live at Eddie’s Attic”, where the album was recorded during a live performance.  The Civil Wars consist of Joy Williams and John Paul White, both successful independent of each other as musicians.  The majority of their music is acoustic guitar and vocals, with the occasional piano.  They have a very basic and almost simple sounding foundation built around John’s acoustic guitar.  If you enjoy listening to Over the Rhine, you’ll probably like The Civil Wars.  If you’d like to listen to the tracks, you can go to NoiseTrade.com or The Civil Wars MySpace page and click on the album cover to download if for free.

Overall, the sound is somewhat folky with a little country or americana influence at times.  The opening track has a haunting feel to it vocally.  The sweeping harmonies are one of the things that first stood along with the tracks not being over produced or polished.  They really do a good job letting their talent show through without the assistance of more instruments or programming.

One of the bigger tracks on this album is the single titled “Poison & Wine”.  This track was also featured on Grey’s Anatomy, episode 609, “New History”.  It starts out with a simple strumming acoustic and backing piano, while Joy and John go back and forth lyrically before joining together for a great sounding harmony at the hook of the song.  The way they interact in this track really helps to portray the tension of the song. After that, it continues to build and return to that original hook.  You can check out the official music video for “Poison & Wine” on YouTube.  The album version of the song has more dynamics to it as they include some subtle snare and kick drum in the background of the track to help add to its old-time feel.  There is a huge, boomy kick drum that along with the snare sound miles away.

Another interesting track from their live album is “No Ordinary Love”.  It’s a bit more driving than the other tracks on the album.  The slightly quicker tempo and the harmonies and  vocals help give the listener a sense of angst or suspense.  Joy’s voice is well suited for pairing with John’s vocals and guitar.  Neither of them would stand on their own in this genre quite as well as they do together.  Joy Williams does great on piano and vocals alone, and John can certainly write and perform solo acoustically, but their pairing lends an almost palpable stress and tension between the two that makes it even more interesting to listen to.  Their work together feels and sounds real and true.  Not like a pre-packaged product for sale.

These two artists are obviously capable of a nice range of style inside of the acoustic genre.  I’d be interested to see them perform live with a full band.  Check out the links below to find out more about The Civil Wars and listen to their music.  Don’t forget to go to NoiseTrade.com and download the live album for free (or by paying whatever you feel).

The Civil Wars MySpace

The Civil Wars Facebook page

The Civil Wars on Twitter

The Civil Wars on YouTube

Thanks for reading.  I’m enjoying listening to some new music and getting to know some new artists.  Looking forward to the coming weeks of this review series.

Cheers,

Josh Walker

In continuing with my weekly Networking series (detailing people I’ve come to know in recent months in northern Indiana), I’m writing about another useful resource that just about anyone in northern Indiana could use.  If you or someone you know is looking to move to a subdivision in or around Elkhart, Indiana, this is a great place to start.   This weeks post is about a great resource to help assist in finding a new home in an Elkhart subdivision. That resource is Elkhart real estate agent Evelyn Johnston.

It seems fewer and fewer people are turning to the Yellow Pages for help and research these days.  Anymore they go online to find what they’re looking for.  Successful people and businesses will go to the internet to be the providers of that information.  And that is exactly what Evelyn Johnston is doing.

If you’re looking for a house for sale in Elkhart, she makes your search that much easier.  Evelyn has put together a fairly comprehensive website that details all of the subdivisions in Elkhart and the homes for sale there.  On her site is a page that lists the local Elkhart schools and links to them as well.  She doesn’t stop there, though.  She also has a listing page for local movie theaters in Elkhart as well as garage sales and more.

I’m always encouraged to see people using technology to their benefit while helping make other people’s lives easier at the same time.  A lot of people think that you only need a website if you’re in the tech industries or build websites.  On the contrary, if you have any sort of information to disseminate, you should consider having a website to assist.

You can contact Evelyn by email at evelyn@evelynjohnston.com to find out more about what she does and how she can help you.

Cheers,

Josh Walker

I’ve introduced you all to a number of different people and local businesses in this networking series.  For instance, I’ve written about a local legal blog, an FHA mortgage broker, an insurance quote blog, and a social media coach.  This week I’m writing about an inbound marketing expert.  And this guy really knows what’s going on regarding social media of Indiana.

If you’re online and have any sort of web prescence, you need to understand the importance of search engine optimization, or as it’s also known, SEO.  You don’t necessarily need to know all about SEO, but you should at least know someone who does.  And that person is Nate Findling.

The internet has transformed.  It is changing month by month.  Day by day, for that matter.  And we need to keep up.  If you are looking for a way to maximize your online presence, check out what Nate is capable of.  Todays internet, and our presence there, is much broader than just one url; now, all of our social media activity is a part of who we are online.  Our reputation and legitimacy.  Not all of us have a way with words that communicates our ideals fluently; that’s where a copywriter comes in.  Someone that can take your idea and concept and translate it into an understandable and comprehensible story.

Nate is that guy.  He can help your company or organization really reach your target audience.  In words they’ll understand.  Not only does he write for other people and companies, he’s writing a book of blues himself.  A book about the ups and downs of life, and how he got to where he is.  Where he’s going.  And everything in between.  As an internet marketing specialist for Chicago and Indiana,  he understands the importance of using digital media to help make his publishing dreams come to fruition.  Don’t think for one second that because you’re writing a book for print that you don’t need a solid and sharp online presence.  Let Nate take a look at your situation and set you up for a successful journey.

If you have a website for your company (and if you don’t, you should), you need to talk to Nate about how to maximize the potential of your site.  You, like many others, may not realize the full potential of the content on your site.  Nate Findling can and will.

Again, thanks for reading.  We’re all in this together, so why not take a few minutes every day to get to know those around you?  You never know when they’ll come in handy.  Even if you never need their services or talents, they will bring a little joy into your life that would otherwise have been absent.

Cheers,

Josh Walker

Thirty years ago, music was huge.  There were groups that were larger than life.  Mysterious.  And they sold albums.  Moved units.  Made money.  Gained lifelong fans.

And all of that was done without the aid of digital technology.  Without computers, external hard discs, or A/D converters.  Their music was created using the same kind of recording studios using the same guitars, drums, and microphones as today.  But when it was recorded, it was done so using analog 2″ tape (if it was 24 tracks, that is).  It was done so using tube mic preamps, and FET compressors.  The music didn’t have the huge dynamic range (soncially speaking) that we do with today’s digital capability, but it had warmth.  Punch.  Energy.  Love.  AKA tape compression.

Tape compression occurs when you try to force a high amount of signal onto a strip of tape.  The magnetic response of the tape is to do everything it can to allow for this, even if that means compressing some of the magnetic flux to the edges of the tape.  This is more often than not present in the lower frequency instruments such as guitars, bass guitars, kick drums, and floor toms.

That last paragraph may have been over some peoples heads.  But this isn’t: tape compression gives a track that “warm” sound we all love and remember from our favorite artists.

Everybody is going digital these days.  The funny thing is that we’re also creating software plugins dedicated to emulating that tape compression that we thought we’d get rid of by switching to the digital realm.  So, while digital gear and software definitely have their place, we can’t forget our roots.  The analog sound.  One way you can revisit this is to put on an album.  For those of you reaching for your iPod or CD carrying case, I meant record album.  As in vinyl.  Or go to a garage sale and pick up a $5 tape player and pop in your old favorites.  Sure, you’ll get the tape hiss and fuzz that you forgot existed since listening to your iPod, but you’ll be taken back to a time when music had a little more love it it.  It wasn’t quite as sterile as it can be today.  And our digital music can often times be of worse sound quality than the old tapes and records; have you listened to an MP3 lately?  We’ve replaced tape compression with the digital compression of data.

Which is worse?  I’ll let you decide.  For me though, nothing beats putting on a vinyl record of Elton John and just losing myself in an era gone by.

Thanks for reading.  Till next time, cheers.

Josh Walker

And so it begins. This is the first of many weekly music reviews.  I have been taking submissions from all you you for some time now. To kick it off, I’ve been checking out a band called Lydia based in Gilbert, Arizona.  I am actually very partial to this part of the country as it’s where I began my professional journey in the music industry. At first listen, their tracks are diverse in dynamics, tempo, and overall feel.  I appreciated the sound of lead vocalist Leighton Antelman’s voice.  His range is pretty good and the harmonies are tight.  His vocals never crossed the line to become annoying.  Instead, they were intriguing, making you want to listen to the next song to hear what he would do lyrically and vocally.  The music takes the focus on the album, not any one particular musician.

I especially liked the track “This is Twice Now“.  It was a great example of how a piano can be used in rock music without being cliche.  And they don’t overuse it on the album.  When I first heard this song, I was actually surprised to hear the piano take center stage at the introduction.  At the first verse the rest of the band enters and it’s a beautiful balance of instruments and vocals.  The snare drum is a nice contrast to the overall vibe of the song.  It really helps balance the verses.  Right around two minutes the songs pulls back to more of a half-time feel to bring things down a bit and make it more contemplative.  Mindy White’s backing vocals at this point were the right amount of a feminine touch to help bring the song full circle and back to where it started with the soft spoken piano.

Another intersting track is “Hospital.  It has a very ambient, sluggish feel to it.  Leighton shows some of his range, building on the dynamics of the song.  Appearing as a guest vocalist on this track is Aaron Marsh, formerly of Copeland.  There’s just a touch of his influence on this track, helping add to the overall dreamy state. While this track isn’t the most technically difficult for drummer Craig David, he does a great job keeping it simple enough to keep it interesting.  You can tell a musician knows how to make great music when they show tasteful discretion.

Speaking of the drums, Craig’s work on the rest of the album gives the sound a bit of an easy going feel.  There are songs that are quick, but even they have this sense of not caring about what’s happening outside of the music.  His work on this album is one of taste and discernment.  I really think he’s got much to offer, and in holding back at times, he is only showing more of his ability.  I especially like his snare work.  He uses it to help you along with the sway of the music.

The entire group makes it easy to lose yourself in the music.  This doesn’t happen too often anymore.  Many bands find a formula that works and they beat the horse beyond death.  Lydia is able to stay true to their sound on “Illuminate” all the while showing their ability to diversify.  For example, “December” has a feel quite different from that of the rest of the tracks.  But it remains true to the sound of the album.  This track is a bit edgier, all the while still playing to the dynamics of the album.  There is an interesting arpeggio/flange effect during the verse that really helps set the guitar apart.  Then the guitar tracks carry a nice melody line on the chorus, coming together with the rest of the instruments to help solidify the sound.

Lydia will take you high, low, and everywhere in between.   The guitar work of Steve McGraw and Leighton is highly complimentary to Craig’s drumming.  I enjoyed the differences in playing on the track “Stay Awake”.  There was picking, driving choruses, and a subtle use of a wah pedal.  I feel that it can get over used quickly, but found them to really use the wah to add to the song in a minor way. This album shows that as a group this is a rock band from Arizona that is capable of producing intellectual and quality music.

I’d never heard of them till recently, but I’m going to make sure to follow them.  You can follow Lydia on Twitter, become their fan on Facebook, check out the Lydia MySpace, or view the official Lydia website.

Thanks for reading my weekly review.  If you have an album you’d think I should check out, tell me.  Keep checking back to make sure you don’t miss a review.

Cheers,

Josh Walker

As some of you may have heard, I am in the process of opening a new recording studio in Northern Indiana.  I’ve been able to network and connect with multiple studios in Chicago, northwest Indiana, Indianapolis, and southwest Michigan, but I still needed a space that I could use for my projects in the area with local artists and groups that can’t make the drive to Chicago or Michigan.  There are plenty of studios within 100 miles, but with rates and quality varying, it’s always nice to have options in between.

I’ve had the opportunity to build and open a recording studio that will not only be used to track and mix bands, but also benefit the local community.  I’ll be using this space to host frequent workshops and seminars to educate and teach young and old alike about music, recording, and managing techniques.  There are many misconceptions and bad habits when it comes to making music; I’m looking to help curb this and fill that void.  There are young kids that have a passion for music as well as older people that have been around and creating music for decades.  I’m looking to foster community and education in the local area while helping artists and bands create the music they love.

I’m also doing artist management for a small venue.  I’ll be bringing in local and regional artists and bands to perform every two weeks.  If you or anyone you know might be interested in performing, get ahold of me.  These performance will include live streaming video and audio during the performance.  The studio is tied into the venue, and I’m offering live recording to any artists that perform there.

I’ll be documenting the progress of the studio as we build.  Right now, we’re in the framing stage with cabling, drywalling, and more.  I’ll be moving in recording gear throughout the next couple weeks along with studio furniture and lighting.  In the coming weeks and months we’ll be painting, applying acoustic treatment to the rooms, and completing the “vibe”.

You can keep checking back to keep up with the progress and see how it’s coming along.  And if you know of any bands that could use my services and experience, let me know.
Cheers,

Josh Walker