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Brainwaves invites you to get turned on this week. With Bromshead Jacket, the Shins, the Tubes and Toy Matinee. The Who never want to cut their hair (maybe they should hook up with America’s Sister Golden Hair Surprise). Nick Heyward used to be into hair, too, heading up the band Haircut 100. Are you a Passionate Friend? The Teardrop Explodes sure hopes so. And there’s a dead skunk heading up our 70s pop flashback. It’s all on Brainwaves this week.

Last week, Brainwaves gave you songs about rain. And guess what, it’s still raining! Coldplay is shivering, while Vanilla Sky needs the umbrella originally made famous by Rihanna. Also on the show: “holy” songs from the Lords of the New Church, Matthew Sweet and the Cure. Two songs about Amy/Amie. Sheena is a punk rocker. The Not Sensibles are in love with Margaret Thatcher. And the Barenaked Ladies wonder what would happen if they had a million dollars. (We do too!) It’s all on this week’s Brainwaves! Tune in.

Brainwaves presents songs for the months of June, July, August, September, October and November. You’ll hear bands and artists like Pete Yorn, Sufjan Stevens, Shlomo Artzi, Counting Crows, The Shins, U2, The National, Green Day and Earth Wind & Fire. Plus a Nada Surf cover of the Moody Blues (and the Moodies themselves). It’s all coming up on this week’s episode. Stay tuned!

It’s the final episode for Brainwaves A to Z, the special series of the show where Brian plays music from his collection alphabetically. (Don’t worry, Brainwaves isn’t going anywhere.) This week, it’s three letters in one: X, Y and Z. Why? How many songs or bands do you know that start with X or Z? Kicking off with two songs from XTC and ending with Zumpano. What’s in the middle? Lots of Y – Yes, Yuck, Yo La Tenga, Yehuda Poliker, Yael Deckelbaum and Yehuda Ledgley. Plus Y songs from Lisa Loeb, the Decemberists, the Bats, Jason Falkner, Shoes, Nik Kershaw and even Al Stewart (remember Year of the Cat?) Celebrate 26 episodes of A to Z music on Brainwaves this week!

No theme this week, just great music from Nina Hagen, the Tubes, Aviv Geffen, Tislam, Annemarie, Regina Spektor, System of a Down, David Bowie, U2, Archers, Pink Floyd, Nik Drake, Cheap Star and much more. That’s just a taste. Tune in for the whole 2 hour shebang!

Brainwaves loves Juliana Hatfield. So we have three songs from the talented songstress to start this week’s show. Plus more great music from Weezer, the Arkells, Kodaline, Wake Owl, Paper Kites, Joy Division, Elbow, Timmy Thomas, Ex-Cops, the Old 97s and so much more. Show us some love and tune in! Band Song Juliana Hatfield […]

It’s that time of the year when Brainwaves explores the line from darkness to light in honor of Hanukah, the Jewish holiday that lights up the winter, taking place this week and next. First half of the show: all songs with darkness in the title. Second half: we turn to the light. On the dark side: Snow Patrol, Matt Pond PA, Yo La Tenga, Pink Floyd, Elvis Costello, Lana Del Rey and more. On the light side: Bob Mould, Todd Rundgren, Spoon, Gotye, Passion Pit, the Smiths…and that’s just getting started! Don’t let the light go out – tune in this week to Brainwaves!

Brainwaves presents four “red” bands – the Red House Painters, Red Letter Agent, Red Sun Project and Redneck Girlfriend. Plus a rare single from Genesis, two “Lily” songs, and six songs about “goodbyes” – from Steam, Lobo, Squeeze, Supertramp, Jeff Buckley and the Bats. But don’t say goodbye to Brainwaves – there’s so much more coming this week and beyond!

Brainwaves A to Z is back with the “W” show – all bands and songs beginning with the letter “W” this week. Starting with new Brainwaves faves Willow Mile. Plus the Waitresses, Wall of Voodoo, Walk off the Earth, Washed Out, the Wannabes, Wake Owl, White Town, the Who, Wim Mertens, Wild Swans, Wolf and much more. You “w”aited a long time for this show. We guarantee it will be “w”orth it!

A boy’s life? Brainwaves wouldn’t be so gender-blind. But it’s the band’s name – “Boy’s Life.” And we’ve got two songs from the Boston band from the early 80s. Plus, we’re headed to the “country” with seven songs from Wake Owl, Three Dog Night, Pete Yorn, Big Star, Blitzen Trapper, R.E.M and Lovedrug. The Screaming Jets take off on an airplane while Juliana Hatfield is learning to fly (while covering the Foo Fighters). It’s all coming up on this week’s Brainwaves!

Brainwaves compares Owl City’s “When Will I See You Again?” with Marshall Crenshaw’s “Whenever You’re on My Mind.” Is this a lawsuit waiting to happen? Plus “cloud” music from A.C. Newman, Teenage Fanclub, The Rolling Stones, the Bangles and Cloud Cult (of course). And let’s not forget the Cloud Room (they’re sleeping in the ocean). It’s all coming up on this week’s Brainwaves!

In the land of Brainwaves, when citizens want to protest a governmental policy or change, they take to the bridges over highway intersections. So how about some bridge music this week? Bridge songs from Pink Floyd, Rose Melberg, Boy and Bear, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and even the Mike Curb Congregation. Plus music from the New Pornographers, Daft Punk, the Replacements, Hole, Nada Surf, Lovedrug, the Killers, Ethnix and lots more. It’s all coming up on this week’s show!