Bending Brains

About Bending Brains

A podcast hosted by Ben Arguelles that explores music, art, science, religion, and much more.

Publisher

bendingbrains

Category

arts

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

16 Dec 2020

Latest episode

23 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

113 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   23 Sept 2026

   #113 - Müsila

   Müsila is a guitarist and singer-songwriter from Sri Lanka, now based in the Southside of Chicago. His work is inspired by traditional Sri Lankan music and haunted by the spirit of the Blues and Americana. His songs tell a story of the immigrant experience and that of the ordinary yet overwhelming challenges and triumphs of a well-examined life. He holds a PhD in Theoretical Particle Physics (Phenomenology) and has a day job as a physics professor.

2. 

   19 May 2026

   #112 - Bomethius

   Bomethius is the baroque pop project led by Jonathan Hodges, a multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter based in Chicago. Hodges draws from decades of classical training to craft a mischievous brand of chamber rock that echoes the sounds of Andrew Bird, Low Roar, Paul Simon, Sufjan Stevens, Randy Newman, and Elliott Smith. Tropopause, Bomethius’ second release on Chicago-based indie label Oakley Avenue Records, arrives with the sort of effortlessness that can only be born from experience. Working with the same core of collaborators from his prior record, Borrowed Time, and following years of diligent live performances, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Hodges has opened a new, louder, and more compact chapter of his nearly decade-long baroque pop project. In a discography that maintains a clear continuity aesthetically and thematically—with each release in conversation with its predecessors—Tropopause serves as a welcoming entry point for new listeners. For one, it’s Hodges’ most concise statement. A trim-the-fat approach to composition for this album produced a 10-song tracklist and 26-minute runtime, and the lean result is both digestible and direct. There’s also a greater clarity to the writing as Hodges covers similar lyrical territory to his most recent releases. “The cycle, against which most of my music is set, borbles on,” he says, but on Tropopause, he's been afforded time and distance from this cycle, which allows for a wider perspective unburdened by still-sharp pains. Like the meteorological term from which it draws its name, the record represents a threshold in one’s life and the areas on either side of it—all of which can be best appreciated from a bird’s-eye view. Lastly, Tropopause carries Hodges’ most refined and arresting pop earworms to date. Rhythms and guitar lines chug in lead single “Thunderbird.” An explosive Weezer-esque guitar solo closes “I’m Out.” The piano-led “The Clown” hearkens to the playful yet biting ballads of Randy Newman and Fiona Apple. Guest harmonies from Hodges’ sister, Caroline, dance through some of the record’s quieter moments (“Over,” “Almost,” “Scorched Earth”), and the album ends with what’s sure to be one of the most memorable violin pieces in the Bomethius catalog. The closing moments wordlessly represent that barrier between the turmoil below and the lucidity above, as explored by the preceding songs. It’s a memorial of divine goodness, a reminder that it doesn’t have to be that serious, and a nudge to pet a dog, and go outside, and chase pigeons and squirrels. Sometimes, that’s all you need to do. Tropopause releases June 7th on Oakley Avenue Records.

3. 

   25 Mar 2026

   #111 - Mariko Iwasa

   Mariko Iwasa is a New York–based physical comedian, clown, actor, and dancer from Japan. She trained in acting at Nihon University of the Arts in Tokyo and first cut her clowning teeth touring with the world-famous Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus. She later made her mark on the East Coast stage scene, including The Play That Goes Wrong and her award-winning portrayal of Snoopy in A Charlie Brown Christmas. Her recent highlights include the spectacular Spiegel tent show Teatro ZinZanni in Chicago. And appeared another circus and variety show After Dark as comic relief in Atlanta. In Japan, Mariko has also performed with leading orchestras, including the Tokyo Philharmonic and Hiroshima Philharmonic and Chubu Philharmonic. In New York, she appears with Bindlestiff Family Circus, Parallel Exit and improv Japanese game show BATSU!, and throughout the city’s comedy, cabaret, and variety show scene, while also serving as a healthcare clown. Passionate about connecting with audiences of all ages, she brings technical mastery, physicality, and a playful spirit to every performance.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

74,335

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Spotify

4.0 / 5

4 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 46 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

31

Social presence

0

YouTube

76

Engagement

75

Contact Bending Brains

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.