Cal Morgan

When will the swan begin to sing?
We’re so weary of everything
And the swan on the river goes glidin' by
The swan on the river goes glidin' by

—Bob Dylan, “The Ballad of the Gliding Swan”

Random take:

Shouldn’t there be a Pulitzer Prize for film?

Missed opportunity.

Sounding the depths: Digging the bari (or bass?) sax on the beautiful new @NekoCase album, now in rotation with the cello-laden Chamber Version of the evanescent new @florencemachine record just out this morning.

The news: I’m thrilled to be joining the brilliant Annie DeWitt and her amazing team @ Enliven, a new agency devoted to visionary writing. I’m looking to work with brave voices, epic storytellers, writers exploring across the borders of tradition. Let’s go www.enlivenendeavors.com/home

“She sat next to him, diminished and fretful, with idiot radio songs about sex in her head.”

—Mary Gaitskill, “A Romantic Weekend,” from Bad Behavior. I likely won’t read a finer sentence this weekend, unless it’s by her.

They’re Trying to Publish the Best Books You’ve Never Heard Of

Loved this profile of the women who run Hagfish Books, another amazing company devoted to reissuing forgotten and overlooked titles.

Read his NOVEL BOOK, mister

Yah! I secretly suspect it’s Phoebe/Billie E. It’s a very distinct thing they parody: this breathy, sleepy voice, with warped and distended vowels. (And I kind of love those voices!) But I don’t know Julia or Lizzy - will have to give a listen. :)

Ah! Surprising. But is she indie?

Question: when TikTok comedians parody the voices of female indie pop singers, who are they skewering?

Grateful for any answers.

Another year older, and now with a pet 🎶

The 80s are alive, bless ’em, at the diner tonight

Belinda is Mad About You

Tell it to my heart, sings Taylor—
before anyone dreamed of
telling anything to the hand

And Sara— Sara—
is finally catching on
that no time is a good time
for goodbyes

It’s for the chronic disease that came from years of taking Flux-b-gone

I lived to hear the iPod described as having “retro aesthetics”

YouTube video by Clyde McPhatter - Topic Lucille

One of the greatest things ever committed to tape: “Lucille,” live at the Apollo

youtu.be/3H0pzxWOpUg?...

✊🏻✊🏻✊🏻

North by Northwest (1959)
The Godfather Part II (1974)

Second this

We just watched and loved The Offer, from a few years ago, about Paramount in the 70s and the making of The Godfather. Reviews were mixed at the time, but (outside of a few quibbles) we were delighted - and it’s especially cheering for those of us who like to see creative underdogs triumph.

Currently reeling from this Martin Guitar paperwork featuring Irvin, the original @newyorker.com display font

DON DRAPER
At the center, the Lincoln logo

LINCOLN EXEC
Fine

DON DRAPER
Through the logo, a window onto the future: clear sailing on a summer day

LINCOLN EXEC
Nice

DON DRAPER
And for the copy, we’re thinking—

LINCOLN EXEC
(expectant)

DON DRAPER
(jazz hands)
Hazlitt

This would make a heckuva double bill

Queens of Tone: Abby Ybarra Explore the extraordinary career of Abigail Ybarra, known as the "Queen of Tone," who handcrafted pickups for Fender's most iconic guitars. Discover how her meticulous craftsmanship and dedication sha...

Why has no one at big 5 publisher picked up a book about Abby Ybarra and the other incredible latina pickup winders who worked for Leo Fender and, essentially, created electric guitar tone as we know it?

Cloying catchphrases of our time:

- “Welcome in!”
- “making memories”
- “Happy heavenly birthday!”

Yes, and then seven years after the magic has disappeared, the paper of record will run three trend pieces on it within a month

Need to find a courtroom on Fifth Ave

Right after "Don't use semicolons," "Don't use adverbs," "Don't use speech tags beyond 'said' and 'says,'" and "Don't ever use the word 'that,'" my favorite piece of writing advice is "Don't listen to people giving writing advice who only ever tell you not to do things."

Anyone?