Concert reviews! And one album review!

I just got back from Broken Social Scene last night, which was probably the most energetic concert I have ever been to. I'd definitely give it a solid 9.5. A week and a half ago, I saw Vampire Weekend, who were also excellent (maybe a 9.1?), and just days before that, I saw Jonsi three times (all 10s, of course!) I have had my fair share of concerts in these past three weeks, but nothing is going to stop me! I have also been listening to a lot of new albums lately...and I am going to review them!

Ólafur Arnalds - ...and They Have Escaped the Weight of the Darkness [9.7]
No vocals. No guitars. Stripped down classical-style piano with some orchestrals. Sounds unexciting? Well, you'd be wrong. The latest outing by classically-trained Icelandic musician Ólafur Arnalds is his finest accomplishment to date. ...And they Have Escaped the Weight of the Darkness has a much more depressive feel to it than his earlier album, Eulogy for Evolution, but that is what makes this so much better. ...ATHETWOTD is dripping with gorgeous atmosphere. It starts off by building a claustrophobic mood with the opener, "Þú ert sólin", which segues into the equally dark "Þú ert jörðin". Arnalds then treats us to a little breath of hope, the beautifully played "Tunglið". From here on, however, Arnalds gradually builds the claustrophobic and depressive mood until half-way through the album's finale, the fittingly titled "Þau hafa sloppið undanþunga myrkursins", which is the title of the album in Icelandic; the song continues the hopeless feel, but half-way through it, a whole marching band and orchestra, complete with trumpets, plays innocently, and all of the darkness fades in a split second. To me, on first listen, that was one of the most satisfying moments in musical history, and that is not an exaggeration. Once you hear that part of the song, you will understand why this gorgeous, near-perfect gem is titled "...And They Have Escaped the Weight of the Darkness".

Top songs: Tunglið; Hægt, kemur ljósið; Þau hafa sloppið undanþunga myrkursins

So Jónsi and Sigur Rós have become my favorites EVER.

Since I've seen Jónsi live THREE times and all I have been listening to lately is him and Sigur Rós, I have come to the realization that Sigur Rós is my new all-time favorite band. There's something about their music that brings out the best in me, brings out every happy vessel that exists inside me...no other music has ever done that to me! I don't know how they do it...they had to have been born on a different planet or in the mystical waters of Iceland or something. Oh, and Heima is one of the best DVDs I own.

My ratings for all of Jónsi/Sigur Rós projects:

Sigur Rós - Von: 5.3
Sigur Rós - Ágætis Byrjun: 9.4
Sigur Rós - ( ): 10
Sigur Rós - Takk: 9.9
Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust: 8.6
Sigur Rós - Hvarf/Heim: 8.7

Jónsi & Alex - Riceboy Sleeps: 7.9
Jónsi - Go: 9.9

So I saw two movies last night.

Hooray for paying for one movie and sneaking into a second one after the first one is over!

I saw Oceans first, the newest Disneynature film, and I must say, I was blown away. Imagine an animal/environmental documentary with the most amazing visuals you have ever seen. It is incredible how these filmographers can get such amazing footage of the coolest sea creatures! There was a flying carpet octopus, armies of hermitcrabs, and dolphins swimming upstream like salmon! It was a feast for the eyes, and I definitely recommend it to any nature/animal lover.

I kind of switched to the extreme after Oceans and saw How to Train Your Dragon. My God, this movie could not have been any better. Of course, it is animated, and I am a sucker for all animated films. But this...this made me laugh so hard, made me cry on more than one occasion, and the Jonsi song that played during the end credits completely cinched the deal! How to Train Your Dragon is one of the best movies I have ever seen, animated or not. The ending was hilarious and perfect, and even though it started off slow, this movie is one of the ages.

Oceans - 8.8
How to Train Your Dragon - 10

Reviews of some books and music

Since I'm too lazy to actually give full reviews, just a score.

Vladimir Nabokov - Mary: [10]
Vladimir Nabokov - The Enchanter: [8.1]
Jonathan Safran Foer - Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close: [9.9]
Ray Bradbury - Now and Forever: [5.9]


The Weepies - Hideaway: [8.6]
A.R. Rahman - Slumdog Millionaire: [7.8]
Broken Social Scene - You Forgot it in People: [8.7]
Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water: [10]

Wow.

What a hectic, unbelievably perplexing, and undeniably amazing spring break.

I'll get back to blogging soon, but for now I am on hiatus, though I will be updating my website often!

Jónsi - Icicle Sleeve.

Oh. My. God.

Job interview...

Wish me luck, blog-readers!

WRITE RIGHT!

I simply had such a great idea for a story about 187 minutes and 41 seconds ago.

Along with all my poetry and my super long novella thing, this new story is going to take up even more of my life. I am not going to say much about it besides that is a love story, but it's also a story about growing up (or not...) and about doing what you really want to do, and not what others want you to. It's also probably going to be something like a children's story.

I have too many things going on at once...maybe I should focus on one thing. But focusing on one thing is boring. Plus, I am going to finish everything I start. I hate leaving things undone.

Music reviews, part three.

I have gotta do something besides listen to music!


The Weepies - Say I Am You / A-
On Say I Am You, the Weepies' major label debut, they are proudly saying that wonderful folk music isn't dead. All of the songs on this short 13-track album speak heartbreak, misunderstandings, and boasts some very clever melodies. The lyrics, though simple at times, are absolutely wonderful (especially on "Gotta Have You") and that makes up for a couple of the weaker tracks near the middle of the album.
Top tracks: Gotta Have You, Nobody Knows Me At All, Not Your Year

Seabear - The Ghost That Carried Us Away / A+
Now this is one of the best albums I have ever heard. I am somehow convinced that almost every band that hails from Iceland has the ability to create the most beautiful and touching music in the world. Sindri's wispy voice and the use of various instruments is marvelous. The lyrics are playful while also hinting at melancholy. From the Japanese-inspired opening "Good Morning Scarecrow" to the absolutely lovely "Owl Waltz" and finally to the epic grand finale "Seashell", this is an album that everybody who loves folk, indie, or rock music in general needs to hear.
Top tracks: I Sing I Swim, Owl Waltz, Seashell

Jonsi - Sticks and Stones / A+
When I review a single song, you know I have to love it. Jonsi recorded this for the How to Train Your Dragon soundtrack, and it alone makes me want to see the movie. This song is so uplifting and full of energy and excitement; it must be the perfect ending to an amazing movie. When Jonsi sings stay with me, come on..., I get shivers down to my toes.


Hmm...what now?

Away.

Helphelphelphelphelp.

I need to get away. Somewhere beautiful. Somewhere ugly. Anywhere but here. I need somewhere to think about everything and anything. Iceland sounds peaceful. Let me go there...let me use my teleportation powers...NOW

...

Music reviews: part deux

I need to review some of the cool music I have listened to recently.

Vampire Weekend - Contra / A-
This band is ridiculously fun and catchy! I don't know how to describe their sound...it's like African, world music, indie rock, and even a little bit of psychedelic combined. They are so unique...just check out the music video for "Cousins!"
Track picks: White Sky, Holiday, Cousins

Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend / A-
This is their first album...and it's just as every bit as great as Contra is! This is some amazing stuff. It has a very "beachy" vibe to it that reminds me of The Beach Boys (one of my favorite bands!) I love how they mention the movie Say Anything (one of my favorite movies of all-time!) in "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa."
Track Picks: A-Punk, Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa, The Kids Don't Stand A Chance

Paul Simon - Surprise / A-
Paul Simon from the legendary folk duo Simon and Garfunkel is no has-been. He is still writing amazing world songs with meaningful lyrics! In "Outrageous," he sings "who's going to love you when your looks are gone?" I think we all wonder that. However, the real stand-out here is the closing track, "Father and Daughter."
Track picks: Why Do You Live in the Northeast?, Outrageous, Father and Daughter

Broken Bells - Broken Bells / B-
Broken Bells is the side-project of The Shins's James Mercer and hip-hop artist Danger Mouse. Even with all the electronic elements, this album is 80% Shins (because of Mercer's vocals dominating almost all the tracks!) It's nothing at all special, and the last few tracks are a little bland, but it will hold our appetite until the next Shins album...
Track picks: The High Road, Vaporize, Your Head is on Fire

Regina Spektor - 11:11 / B+
This is where it all started for my favorite female singer-songwriter...the very raw and yet blissfully (and jazzfully!) powerful 11:11. This has none of the catchiness of Begin to Hope or Far, her two newest albums, but it's still a fantastic and strong release from a girl who was still trying to discover her musical prowess. Plus, it has "Pavlov's Daughter." You must listen to it. Must.
Track picks: Love Affair, Pavlov's Daughter, 2.99 Cent Blues

Regina Spektor - Far / B
I hate to do this to Far, but after giving it repeated listens, and after Spektor's masterpiece, Begin to Hope, I must say that Far ends up being her least-inspired and most disjointed album. It has some of her worst songs. But guess what? It also has some of her best (The Calculation!) And it's still a solid album. Some of the b-sides, namely The Sword & the Pen and Riot Gear, should have been on this album.
Track picks: The Calculation, Folding Chair, Man of a Thousand Faces


More to come later!

Confused.

Life is so confusing. I'm confused as hell right now.

Yes, short blog post. Yes Vincent, get out of the house more and do more things.

Novel(la?)

For the past month, I have been writing this huge story. At first, it started off as a 30-page story, one of the longest I have ever written. Now, it's somewhere in the 130-page region. And I keep adding to it. I don't even know if it is a novel or not. Most of it is just paragraph after paragraph of stream-of-consciousness prose. Though it has a storyline. I don't know what to do with it. It's all disjointed and I don't know how to connect the pieces. Although writing 130 pages is better than nothing at all.

It's funny. For the longest time, I have had writer's block. I would write the worst garbage in the world, it's not even funny. It's amazing how one person can become your muse and all of a sudden, you start writing like crazy, and it's not bad at all, but actually, quite good. Sure, my story is disjointed and the pieces are scattered everywhere. But I love all the parts of it. If it weren't for one person - one girl - this story would have never come to fruition. If it weren't for a single concert, a single phrase, a single song - who knows if I would have written 130 pages.

She once wrote "thank you for existing." Well, now I must write, to the girl I told to watch my things at the concert, thank YOU for existing. You keep my hand and pen moving and you bring color to my world, to my eyes.

Grandpa.

I was named after my grandpa. Well, middle-named. His name is Teymour. That makes me Vincent Teymour Della Morte.

My grandpa is in the hospital right now. For the second time in two months. He is very sick and is going through a second series of dialysis treatments. The doctors are saying his breathing is extremely heavy and deep and his heart is not in the best condition. My mom is going crazy, pacing around the house, crying for him. And it makes me really sad.

I never really knew Grandpa much, but my memories of him are all great. He lives in Los Angeles, and when I went to Los Angeles when I was six years old, he made my whole trip alright. Even though I was young, I still remember everything about L.A: the horrible smell of the city, the smog and pollution, the creepy people that walked outside my Grandpa's apartment (he doesn't live in the best neighborhood), and the police and ambulance sirens that went off every few hours. What I remember most, however, was Grandpa holding me on his lap and kissing me on the cheek a lot (as all Persians do) and telling me he loved me. Even then, thirteen years ago, he still wasn't in the greatest condition. He had a hard time walking, he coughed a whole lot, and he always needed help getting up from his chair. But he really is a sweet man. When I was there, he treated me like a king, like I was everything that ever existed to him.

Now I'm getting really sad. All of a sudden, with visions of him dying in my head, I miss him like crazy. I want to see him. I just might drop by L.A. during my spring break to visit him. After all, I have nothing else planned. I never have anything planned. Family is important. I probably will go see him.

<- this is the only picture I have of Grandpa and I.

Languages.

I think I want to start learning a couple.

I've always wanted to learn a language fluently. I speak mediocre Farsi (Persian), my German isn't great, and I made all the Italians laugh a riot when I tried speaking their language on my trip in Rome. Everybody around me seems to be bilingual. I want to be bi (or multi-) lingual too.

My mom was born in Tehran, Iran, and her first language is Farsi. She always spoke it to me when I was younger, but I always hated it for some reason (actually, I know the reason - having a mom who said Dooset daram, azizam Vinnie-joonam! Nana-see! every second, even when I had friends over at the house, wasn't always such a fantastic experience.) The best time to learn a language is during the ages of 6-12, I've heard. I wish I paid more attention to my mom's language. Farsi is a hard language to grasp, but it's so beautiful. It sounds very pretty, especially when you use it in a hushed, wispy voice.

I don't really think I want to further my Italian (only one country in the world speaks it), but I'd like to learn German more. Besides German, I've always been fascinated with the Russian language. I can decipher the Cyrillic alphabet, but I don't know any Russian. I might take it in college next semester.

Another language I'd love to learn is Icelandic. Even though only one country in the world speaks it (and everybody in Icelandic speaks English, so there's really no need to know it if you're a tourist), it's such a cute language. I am in love with everything Iceland, so maybe I'm a bit biased. But it would be cool to learn Icelandic so I can actually understand what Sigur Ros are singing!

So, my list: Farsi, Russian, Icelandic, and German. In preferred order.

I'll never grow up.

Never, never, never.

I suppose all of us have that kid inside us. And there are some of us that just won't ever stop being a kid. I'm one of those people.

I read fantasy and Dr. Seuss, and I love Disney and Pixar and animated movies. My favorite snack is peanut butter right out of the jar (come on, you know you still love it.) I adore bubble baths and still find comfort in sleeping with a stuffed animal by my side. I'll always make a wish at 11:11. Space travel still exhilarates me - Mars and Saturn and Jupiter are all giant, unexplored worlds to me. I still bunch up leaves in Autumn and jump in them and watch them rain upon my head, like fluttering slivers of rainbows. And I don't care if anybody watches me and thinks, "hey, it's a nineteen year-old jumping in leaves! What a goof!"

When I was a kid, I believed in true love. Even after I watched my mom and dad get divorced when I was very young, I never stopped believing in it. I've seen my mom put a knife to my dad's throat, seen my dad call the police on my mom, seen both of them throw stuff at each other and kick walls and everything. I've seen almost all my neighbors in four different neighborhoods get divorced. I still haven't grown up. I still believe in true love.

I've waited forever for true love. And I saw, felt, smelled, tasted, and heard the voice of true love. That belief and power in true love has helped me write countless poems and stories. And being a kid has given me the strength to still believe. I've waited forever. A little longer wouldn't hurt.

I'll never grow up.

Some music, literature, and film reviews.

Since i'm lazy, i'll only give a paragraph description and a rating.

.:.music.:.

She & Him - Volume Two: A-
Yeah, it's basically a continuation of Volume One, which means if you loved volume one, you'll love this. And if you hated it, you'll hate this. I happen to be in the former group than the latter, so I love it...especially Thieves, Home, and Over it Over Again.

Seabear - We Built a Fire: B+
This is a much different record than their debut. The vocals are more "distant" (I don't know if that is the right word for it) and is a little less cheerful. Nevertheless, it's another great album for this unknown band. And since one of their songs was recently featured in Grey's Anatomy, I hope they get more exposure, because they are excellent.

The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds: A
When the Beatles' album "Rubber Soul," came out, it inspired Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys to make a really great collection of songs. Boy, do I thank the Beatles for making Rubber Soul. Pet Sounds is that collection that Brian Wilson dreamed of.

.:.books.:.

Julio Cortazar - Cronopios and Famas: A+
Don't expect anything normal when you read Julio Cortazar. Especially when you read this...uh, novel? Short story collection? No, it's neither. It's a stream-of-consciousness collection of satiric vignettes. And it is brilliant. Within the span of 160 pages, Cortazar gives you instructions on how to cry correctly, talks about an aunt who has a fear of falling on her back, and rips on the police force. If all of that sounds too outlandish or boring or too liberal for you, it probably is, and you shouldn't even go near it.

Stephen King - On writing: A+ (writing portion); D (the rest of the book)
I have never liked Stephen King's writing, and most of this book is no exception. However, the "on writing" portion (which, thankfully, takes up about 1/3 of the book) is flawless. The rest of it is just him talking about him surviving a life-threatening accident, and it gets extremely tedious after a while.

Nicholas Sparks - The Last Song: B
I'm the only guy who reads Nicholas Sparks and isn't embarrassed to admit it (and enjoys all of it immensely!) This guy's writing style is horrible and all of his stories are a bunch of fluff designed to jerk tears out of you, this one being no exception. Why do I keep reading his work? Because i enjoy it. It's escapism, and everybody needs an escape once in a while.

.:.movies.:.

The Princess and the Frog: C+
This movie is clever. Clever in the way that it blends the culture of New Orleans and a fairytale together. However, clever is it all it really is. Besides the food recipes and jazz-influenced music (which will go over the heads of most young'uns), this movie becomes a parody of itself very quickly. It did make me smile at times, though.

Where the Wild Things Are: A
I loved this movie. Anybody who has ever felt genuine loneliness, jealousy, or fear as a child, or has experienced his/her parents being divorced, or has even never really grown up will cry oceans at this film. I have kind of gone through all of the above, so...yeah, I'm a baby. (Did I mention the soundtrack is fantastic?)

Say Anything: A+
This 1989 classic stars John Cusack, who has never starred in a bad movie in his life. The reason I love this movie is because, even though it is a teen/chick flick, there isn't loads of mindless sex (though there is one love scene), it has a story anybody can relate to: boy falls for girl, girl's dad disapproves, and it's incredibly sweet, but not syrupy.

Now i'll go back to writing my stories and poems..

Welcome to my new blog!

I made this new blog because I had some a guy stalking my last blog and following everything I do and harassing me...and I felt just a little uncomfortable with that. Oh well, this blog will be much better anyway.

For this blog, I will post some of my thoughts/feelings (kind of like a diary,) music, literature, and film reviews, some writing from time to time (though my website is the best place to check for that,) and some cool stuff I find on the internet. Thanks for looking, and keep checking back!

Okay.

Sometimes in life, we have to do the things we don't really want to do, and say things we don't want to say, and even eat things we don't want to eat. Sometimes the things that are hardest to do are also the right things.

I always wished things would work out between that boy and that girl. They were two puzzle pieces where the ends snapped right into place. She was the cheese to his macaroni. He was the bee to her honey. Straw to the cup. Peanut butter to the jelly. But, everything collapsed. You fell. I fell. And, with us, the world collapsed. But, once one of us gets up, the world will start piecing itself back together. I have gotten back up. It was hard at first...my heart was a beat-less melted sludge of rubber, I couldn't sleep anymore, I couldn't eat because all the food I ate was tasteless. I didn't want to talk to anybody. Nobody wanted to talk to me. I was in a prison also. A prison surrounded by my false hopes. However, I'm okay now. Because it is better to have loved and lost than to not have loved at all. What that boy and girl had was special, for sure. She awakened all the things in him that he wanted to have come out for so many years. And that was worth it. And that is what he will always remember the girl by. Those special moments. Little nothing moments. But they sure were something. Those little nothing moments always end up being something huge.

But it's gone. Broken. The memories and the moments will always be there, but everything else is broken, beyond repair. The boy wished he could wait longer for the girl. But to do so would be to halt his life. But he'll always remember that girl, for she awakened a lunatic inside him, and she made that lunatic sing! That boy wants the girl to move on too. And please, remember him, fondly. He is okay now, even though it is over.

It is over...those words are hard to hear. Really hard. Impossible, at times, it seems. But it really is. It is over. He is sorry.

But not the memories and little moments. Those are not over. And he is not sorry for those.

Please remember me, fondly...

///////////////////////////////////////////////////

Please remember me, happily
By the rosebush laughing
With bruises on my chin, the time when
We counted every black car passing

Your house beneath the hill and up until
Someone caught us in the kitchen
With maps, a mountain range, a piggy bank
A vision too removed to mention

But please remember me, fondly
I heard from someone you're still pretty
And then they went on to say that the Pearly Gates
Had some eloquent graffiti

Like 'We'll meet again' and 'Fuck the man'
And 'Tell my mother not to worry'
And angels with their great handshakes
But always done in such a hurry

And please remember me, at Halloween
Making fools of all the neighbors
Our faces painted white, by midnight
We'd forgotten one another

And when the morning came I was ashamed
Only now it seems so silly
That season left the world and then returned
And now you're lit up by the city

So please remember me, mistakenly
In the window of the tallest tower
Call, then pass us by but much too high
To see the empty road at happy hour

Gleam and resonate just like the gates
Around the Holy Kingdom
With words like, 'Lost and found' and 'Don't look down'
And 'Someone save temptation'

And please remember me as in the dream
We had as rug burned babies
Among the fallen trees and fast asleep
Beside the lions and the ladies

That called you what you like and even might
Give a gift for your behavior
A fleeting chance to see a trapeze
Swinger high as any savior

But please remember me, my misery
And how it lost me all I wanted
Those dogs that love the rain and chasing trains
The colored birds above their running

In circles round the well and where it spells
On the wall behind St. Peter
So bright on cinder gray in spray paint
'Who the hell can see forever?'

And please remember me, seldomly
In the car behind the carnival
My hand between your knees, you turn from me
And said the trapeze act was wonderful

But never meant to last, the clowns that passed
Saw me just come up with anger
When it filled with circus dogs, the parking lot
Had an element of danger

So please remember me, finally
And all my uphill clawing
My dear, but if I make the Pearly Gates
I'll do my best to make a drawing

Of God and Lucifer, a boy and girl
An angel kissin' on a sinner
A monkey and a man, a marching band
All around the frightened trapeze swinger