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.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
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?
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?
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
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
...
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
...
Monday, April 5, 2010
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!
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!
Friday, April 2, 2010
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.
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.
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.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
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.
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.
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