What is a Blitch Bango?

Well, gather around, because an old man is about to speak...

Blitch Bango is a band, led primarily by guitarist/vocalist/songwriter B. Mathis, whose music draws upon the essence of rock, with a blend of musical styles from alt-country and americana, punk and new-wave, with traces of lounge, and whatever is handy and available.

For your consideration: Podcast Music assembles a collection of backing music written especially for the Matt Brauer Podcasts. Stripped down, simplified, and somewhat devolved, Podcast Music provides the proper background music for a life absurd.

Page two: Mr. B. dusts the attic and cleans out the cobwebs with the Leaving EP, Blitch's second foray into internet-only releases. It combines influences from Bossa-Nova to Reggae, Blues to Caribbean, all with the sense of fun cynicism and experimentation you may expect from Uncle Blitchy.

Another case in point: You Said She Said more deeply explores the alt-country meets Beatles meets post-punk foundation laid by its predecessor, Twilight. From the pop of "We Get Together Sometimes" to the bluesy "I Don't Want To Hold You Down," and from the folk-country twangs of "I Already Know" to the power pop of "Get Over Her," Blitch explores his genres of influence with an uncharacteristic lyrical optimism. Described as "Jangly acoustic guitar-driven alt-pop reminiscent of the Gin Blossoms, with....a sense of adventure," by IntelligentPop, and "melancholic....a worthy effort," by Illinois Entertainer.

Exhibit D: The Broken World EP, Blitch's first internet-only release experiment in "music shareware." The material draws influence on the more experimental nature of music sampling and looping, yet honing those concepts into straight acoustic-rock rhythms and melodies, based on the punk/new-wave, americana, and lounge asthetic. The songs are conscious yet fun, contemplative yet diverting, with enough melodic hooks to keep you humming, and enough variety in the mix to keep you returning.

Part 5: Twilight, Blitch's first CD of all original material draws upon more rootsy influences such as No Depression, REM, etc., with a lot of acoustic instruments, yet still nodding towards The Beatles, Eno, and Martin Denny for inspiration. Paired with lyrics that can be pointed, cynical, facetious, or abstract, the songs are heralded as a "pleasant" and "imminently listenable" collection by South of Mainstream.

Plan F: Blitch's first release Modern Christmas Classics In Various Styles is a collection of Christmas standards written mostly before 1960, but with new spins and new Eno-esque arrangements in various styles from reggae to rock, ambient to acid, western to world-beat, and all stops in between. Proclaimed "cool" by hip WXRT DJ Richard Milne, host of Local Anesthetic, "a solid rocker" by Mistletunes, and "fascinating...refreshing...a rockin' good time" by ChristmasReviews, it may just be the one Christmas recording you can blast in mid-July without being concerned about getting weird looks.

But enough about the recordings. Blitch Bango the band was conceived as Mr B.'s "band personification" when he left the self-proclaimed neo-post-modern group The Suppositones in 1996. As a founding member of the 'Tones, he contributed his skills as one of the three principal songwriters, as well as guitar counterpoint in the 'Tones unique two guitar sound. He has also scored music to several independent video projects. Since leaving the 'Tones, Blitch has produced the 2 CD's described above, along with a backlog of dozens of musical studies, demos, and other tidbits not yet intended for public consumption. Public performances are sporadic, but increasing in number, generally as solo acoustic performances by Mr. B.

What about the name? Well, consider the alternatives:

Click Here for Blitch Bango's Inspirations.