Mountain Views News          Saturday, April 27, 2013

15

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

 Mountain Views News Saturday, April 27, 2013 


SEAN’S SHAMELESS 

REVIEWS: 

100 Artists, Children’s Activities 
Live Entertainment and Food CourtFree Admission 
Sierra Madre Memorial ParkDichroic Vasesby Featured ArtistDavid Van Noppen 
51st Annual 
Sierra Madre Art Fair222 West Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre, CaliforniaFor event information: 626.355.7186 or www.sierramadrelibraryfriends.orgBenefits Sierra Madre Public Library
Saturday, May 4, 20139:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday, May 5, 20139:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
PHOENIX

Phoenix is band that should have been popular many years ago. All their 
albums are great, but it wasn’t until 2009 when they released, “Wolfgang 
Amadeus Phoenix” that they became the premier band at the time. After 
much success, winning a Grammy, and intensive touring, the band took a well-
deserved break. Fans long awaited their follow-up to what is considered their finest record to date. 
Four years later, the French alternative synth-pop group is back with their fifth studio record entitled, 
“Bankrupt!” With the inclusion of keyboards and drum machines, their latest endeavor is pure pop 
bliss as they’ve completely strayed away from their earlier days of more alternative-rock friendly 
tracks. Phoenix sounds bigger than ever with “Bankrupt!” but bigger doesn’t always mean better. 
While the songs here may never have the big hooks found on, “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix,” there’s 
still plenty to appreciate here. From start to finish, the 
ten snyth-heavy tracks are cashmere soft, glossy as a 
new car, and smooth as frozen yogurt. However, that’s 
what you come to expect from Phoenix. However, if 
one has expected everything by the time you reach the 
end, it kind of leaves you wondering if you were really 
taken by the album at all.

The record kicks off in a huge away with the first single, “Entertainment.” The catchiest song off the 
album is loud and in your face. The chorus just hits you like a freight train as it explodes with a frenzy 
of multi-guitar sounds and synthesizers. Following the grand opener is “The Real Thing,” a somewhat 
slow track that never is great during some moments and boring in others. Oddly enough, the listener 
will be going from the fastest track off the record to the slowest. “S.O.S In Bel Air” is another all over 
the place track. Flashes of greatness appear but when it slows down, it completely throws the song off 
keel. It feels more like a prototype track that unfortunately didn’t get all the kinks worked out because 
underneath, you realize how great this sound could have been. My favorite song is “Drakkar Noir,” 
which kicks off the second half of the album in a very cool way. Phoenix slightly changes course a 
bit, while the synths are just as frenetic as ever, the paring with the vocals just work so incredibly well 
together. Another truly dynamite track is “Chloroform.” It’s a very warm track, the most sensitive 
song in Phoenix’s collection of brand new material. Strangely so, it would have been a great closer 
because while it may not be the song you’re dancing to this summer, it definite fits the bill while the 
sun sets leading to a perfect nightcap. 

Keeping with this trend of all the songs in the second half out doing the first half, “Don’t” is yet 
another true gem from Phoenix. I tend to like the songs that run a bit slower while displaying a nice 
and steady flow. I feel as if Phoenix really hits their stride in the second half, but is it too late for 
redemption for a rocky start? “Bourgeois” has indie movie soundtrack written all over it. The song 
fades in and fades out throughout its near five minutes and has a completely reflective vibe latching 
on to it. The abovementioned track is easily another winner from Phoenix. The final track belongs in 
the first half of the album. Sure, it’s filled with kinetic energy and one that rivals “Entertainment” as 
the catchiest song here. As a closer, it doesn’t fit the bill, one that belongs to “Don’t” or “Chloroform.” 
By the end, I felt like there’s one half of a great album here. The other half, while not egregious by any 
means, just didn’t have this wow factor I was hoping for. With the exception of “Entertainment,” the 
first half of the album is surprisingly ordinary. This becomes a bit of a problem since I always felt 
Phoenix specialized in anything, but the ordinary. Luckily, the second half is quite special, but for 
some it may not justify the rather uninspiring first few songs. 

Grade: 7.7 out of 10

Artist: Phoenix 

Album: Bankrupt!

Label: Glassnote

Release Date: April 23, 2013


CROWN CITY SYMPHONY WILL PRESENTS 

TWO FREE CONCERTS

May 11, 2:00 pm 

Altadena Community Church

943 E. Altadena Drive, Altadena

and 

May 12, 2:00 pm

First Baptist Church of Pasadena, 75 N. Marengo, Pasadena.

(Validated parking in the stacked parking on Holly)

Marvin Neumann, conductor, will conduct "Morning, Noon and Night in 

Vienna" by Suppe, and soloists Andrew Sords, violin, and Charles Hummel, violist, 

will perform "Symphonie Concertante: by Mozart. The program will close with 

"Masquerade Suite" by Khatchaturian.

BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS


BUSINESS TODAY

The latest on Business News, Trends and Techniques


By La Quetta M. Shamblee, MBA

THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMMUNICATIONS PLAN

 Looking for over-the-top results with increased 
visibility to attract more customers to make more 
sales? A solid communications plan for your 
business will set the stage for greater long-term 
sales success. The process entailed in developing 
a well-rounded communications plan helps the 
business owner to clarify the message and answer 
questions for customers in the marketplace. 
What do you sell? How does it benefit them, and 
why should they do business with you?

 During the current era, it is imperative to 
understand the primary customer profile(s) of 
those who patronize your business. The days 
of simply placing ads in traditional media and 
awaiting the arrival of customers with money 
in hand at your door or at your online store 
are long gone. Putting a system of multi-tiered 
communications activities in place is critical to 
reaching and connecting with customers. With 
the choice of readily available social media, even 
the smallest of businesses can become a marketing 
powerhouse with the proper combination and 
use of these tools.

 Your communications plan should be informed 
by the demographics of your customers. If your 
primary target is comprised of “baby boomers,” 
it is important to determine if your marketing 
needs to be developed for those of retirement 
age, or the youngest set of baby boomers likely 
to continue working over the next three decades. 
The old “one size fits all” approach to reaching 
customer by paying for display ads and radio 
spots is no longer an option for entrepreneurs 
intent on building profitable enterprises. 

 If your customer base fits within a range of 
demographics, it is important to identify or group 
them into categories that can be identified. Some 
examples include retired seniors 65 and older, 
families with younger school-aged children who 
attend public school, or an influx of new potential 
customers resulting from a newly-completed tract 
of townhouses. To be useful, this information 
must be coupled with a basic set of demographic 
detail about your target audience, including 
age range, ethnicities, gender, marital status, 
educational level, income level, homeowner or 
renter and other descriptives. 

 Much of this information can be gathered 
through observation and day-to-day interaction 
with your (potential) customers. A significant 
database of demographic information is available 
via the internet, starting with websites and 
reports posted by local cities, school districts, 
county governments, chambers of commerce 
and others that compile statistics about residents 
within a geographic region. 

 Once you have enough detail to formulate a true 
demographic profile of your target market, you 
will have the information needed to determine 
the modes and methods of communications most 
appropriate. If you’re like most businesses, you 
will have a tiered audience that fits into several 
profiles. This will require a communications 
plan with a combination of tools and techniques, 
including traditional technology to create and 
maintain success with older seniors accustomed 
to traditional print advertising, snail mail and 
phone calls, as well as social media to establish 
and maintain interaction with audiences adept at 
using contemporary technology.

FROM “LESS” TO “YES”

The painful truth: Sellers who do not price their property competitively are the most likely 
targets of lowball offers. In soft markets, buyers are more prone to make low offers on listings 
seen to be priced too high. Listings that don't sell usually require price reductions, 
which in turn often mean ultimately accepting an offer lower than you could have received 
by pricing aggressively from Day One.

Since selling your home can be such an emotional and subjective experience, it's easy to understand 
why you'd be reluctant to counter an offer below your asking price. But rather than 
feel insulted, try to see it as the beginning of a dialogue that could ultimately produce a sale.

If you feel any of the terms or conditions of the offer are unacceptable, ask your agent to present 
a counter-offer. Sometimes buyers and sellers don't really know beforehand what price 
they'll accept until they've begun the negotiations. For example, a buyer might agree to a 
higher price than planned if interest rates suddenly drop.

If you've received a lower than expected offer, but the buyers have proven their qualifications 
and commitment by securing loan pre-approval, you have grounds for serious consideration. 
The process of counter-offering can be swiftly settled or carry on ad nauseam. Be 
prepared to explore all options and act quickly before letting your negotiations fail.