Figuring out harmonies mathematically is like reading the mind of God.

January 23, 2009 7:36 AM

The occasionally updated The Celestial Monochord claims to be the "Journal of the Institute for Astrophysics and the Hillbilly Blues"

Highlights include:

The connection between Gillian Welch and a rare South Carolina flower that was "discovered by a man who didn't name it, named for a man who didn't see it, by someone who didn't know where it was," .

Did Tom Waits reinterpret Stephen Foster in Cold Cold Ground?

A possible source for the title of Bob Dylan's breakout album.

The connection between the New Lost City Ramblers and Voyager 1.

posted by 1f2frfbf (5 comments total)

I've only read a few entries, but as someone who spends a lot of time listening to, and thinking about, the music this blog covers, I think this is pretty awesome. Thanks.
posted by OmieWise at 7:53 AM on January 23, 2009

That's a great and thoughtful blog, thanks!
posted by Potomac Avenue at 8:23 AM on January 23, 2009

Avidly read a few entries. This I will get back to. All those pages on The New Lost City Ramblers - wonderful stuff. Tom Paley, one of the founding members, will be returning to Stockholm, where I met him in the 60's, for a show in May. Yay!
Thanks for the link.
posted by jan murray at 8:28 AM on January 23, 2009

This is a great blog. Thanks so much, 1f2frfbf, for calling it to our attention.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 10:15 AM on January 23, 2009

That's weird. I was just listening to the Silver Jews' (I'm in mourning) song Tennessee, which has the line "Her doorbell plays a bar of Stephen Foster".

I was wondering five minutes ago who that was, and now I know. Thanks 1f2frfbf!
posted by orme at 3:43 AM on January 27, 2009