Mat Rodger
@matrodger.bsky.social
Startup guy, metal guy, dad guy. 🏳️🌈 I dig music.
Calling it a day, calling time on a career, sure. But calling it a career??!
September 9, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Calling it a day, calling time on a career, sure. But calling it a career??!
Too late for today's one, of course, but...you can't, can you?
April 8, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Too late for today's one, of course, but...you can't, can you?
In the order they just popped into my head
March 19, 2025 at 10:25 AM
In the order they just popped into my head
30 years old today! Like all of their albums, an incredibly important part of my personal history.
March 13, 2025 at 2:25 PM
30 years old today! Like all of their albums, an incredibly important part of my personal history.
Of course, absolutely reasonable that this album should be 25 years old. Nothing horrifying about that at all
January 29, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Of course, absolutely reasonable that this album should be 25 years old. Nothing horrifying about that at all
4-1 (in an order that changes every time I try to make the list):
4 Mannequin Pussy - I Got Heaven
3 Thou - Umbilical
2 Chat Pile - Cool World
1 Frail Body - Artificial Bouquet
4 Mannequin Pussy - I Got Heaven
3 Thou - Umbilical
2 Chat Pile - Cool World
1 Frail Body - Artificial Bouquet
December 30, 2024 at 4:05 PM
4-1 (in an order that changes every time I try to make the list):
4 Mannequin Pussy - I Got Heaven
3 Thou - Umbilical
2 Chat Pile - Cool World
1 Frail Body - Artificial Bouquet
4 Mannequin Pussy - I Got Heaven
3 Thou - Umbilical
2 Chat Pile - Cool World
1 Frail Body - Artificial Bouquet
Day 24: Touché Amoré - Spiral in a Straight Line. Last one before the big top 10 and a lovely slice of broadly screamy emo to see in the festive season.
December 24, 2024 at 8:41 PM
Day 24: Touché Amoré - Spiral in a Straight Line. Last one before the big top 10 and a lovely slice of broadly screamy emo to see in the festive season.
Day 23: Shovel Dance Collective - The Shovel Dance. Is getting into folk something that happens as you get older? Maybe Richard Dawson was a gateway for me but either way this sort of stuff grows on me more these days. Atmospheric stuff about the sea! Why not!
December 23, 2024 at 6:42 AM
Day 23: Shovel Dance Collective - The Shovel Dance. Is getting into folk something that happens as you get older? Maybe Richard Dawson was a gateway for me but either way this sort of stuff grows on me more these days. Atmospheric stuff about the sea! Why not!
Day 22: Big Brave - A Chaos of Flowers. Seems to be a Big Brave record every year at the moment and that’s no bad thing. A bit more subdued than recent efforts, it’s still a very lovely and haunting mix of tangible noise and moody beauty. The loudest quiet album of the year.
December 23, 2024 at 6:38 AM
Day 22: Big Brave - A Chaos of Flowers. Seems to be a Big Brave record every year at the moment and that’s no bad thing. A bit more subdued than recent efforts, it’s still a very lovely and haunting mix of tangible noise and moody beauty. The loudest quiet album of the year.
Day 21: Tyler, The Creator - Chromakopia. So pleased Tyler came back to rapping on Call Me If You Get Lost; this one carries on the theme with a bit more of that experimental pop stuff mixed in. Gets closer to Kendrick every record, in a good way.
December 23, 2024 at 6:35 AM
Day 21: Tyler, The Creator - Chromakopia. So pleased Tyler came back to rapping on Call Me If You Get Lost; this one carries on the theme with a bit more of that experimental pop stuff mixed in. Gets closer to Kendrick every record, in a good way.
Day 20: Tiny Moving Parts - Deep in the Blue. Had totally missed this one coming out after enjoying one of their records a couple of years ago, but something about Christmas brings out a need for earnest, twinkly emo in me. So it's been on a fair bit this last week or so.
December 20, 2024 at 12:07 PM
Day 20: Tiny Moving Parts - Deep in the Blue. Had totally missed this one coming out after enjoying one of their records a couple of years ago, but something about Christmas brings out a need for earnest, twinkly emo in me. So it's been on a fair bit this last week or so.
Day 19: Heems - Lafandar. Love this guy's flow; sort of lazy but verbose and full of fun multi-national references to dig into. Also there's a song called "Bukayo Saka" and that's coooool
December 19, 2024 at 2:06 PM
Day 19: Heems - Lafandar. Love this guy's flow; sort of lazy but verbose and full of fun multi-national references to dig into. Also there's a song called "Bukayo Saka" and that's coooool
Day 18: Chat Pile - Cool World. I think odds were against Chat Pile coming back with a second album as instantly thrilling and horrible as their debut, but they manage to mine something even deeper and nastier on this one. Hard to call it mature, but certainly more sure of itself.
December 19, 2024 at 2:03 PM
Day 18: Chat Pile - Cool World. I think odds were against Chat Pile coming back with a second album as instantly thrilling and horrible as their debut, but they manage to mine something even deeper and nastier on this one. Hard to call it mature, but certainly more sure of itself.
Day 17: Godspeed You! Black Emperor - "NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024, 28,340 DEAD". Think the harrowing title and the fact that it's Godspeed tells you much of what you need to know - but it's on the lusher side of what they do and actually quite upbeat. Lovely that they're still around, tbh!
December 17, 2024 at 11:45 AM
Day 17: Godspeed You! Black Emperor - "NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024, 28,340 DEAD". Think the harrowing title and the fact that it's Godspeed tells you much of what you need to know - but it's on the lusher side of what they do and actually quite upbeat. Lovely that they're still around, tbh!
Day 16: Doechii - Alligator Bites Never Heal. OK yes I've only just discovered this off the back of that amazing Tiny Desk show that came out last week but, man, it's really good.
December 16, 2024 at 10:57 AM
Day 16: Doechii - Alligator Bites Never Heal. OK yes I've only just discovered this off the back of that amazing Tiny Desk show that came out last week but, man, it's really good.
Day 15: Jamie xx - In Waves. Somehow the album of the summer despite coming out so late in the year; certainly the soundtrack of my summer holiday in October. Danceable and poppy yes, but also a clever mix of Jamie’s signature clubland references and moody dance myth making. Great production too
December 15, 2024 at 10:36 AM
Day 15: Jamie xx - In Waves. Somehow the album of the summer despite coming out so late in the year; certainly the soundtrack of my summer holiday in October. Danceable and poppy yes, but also a clever mix of Jamie’s signature clubland references and moody dance myth making. Great production too
Day 14: Thou - Umbilical. Really not the comeback album I was expecting - it’s so fast! And grungy! Really great though, best stuff they’ve done since the Emma Ruth Rundle collab.
December 15, 2024 at 10:32 AM
Day 14: Thou - Umbilical. Really not the comeback album I was expecting - it’s so fast! And grungy! Really great though, best stuff they’ve done since the Emma Ruth Rundle collab.
Day 13: Kendrick Lamar - GNX. Probably more words written about our Kenny this year than any other musician; but it's been a fun year! Not Like Us is an unassailable megahit, and even without it this album packs some spicy stuff. It's not up there with your TPABs, but he's still the best in the biz.
December 13, 2024 at 1:50 PM
Day 13: Kendrick Lamar - GNX. Probably more words written about our Kenny this year than any other musician; but it's been a fun year! Not Like Us is an unassailable megahit, and even without it this album packs some spicy stuff. It's not up there with your TPABs, but he's still the best in the biz.
Day 12: Fontaines D.C. - Romance. Such a fascinating band. At once really experimental and interesting, but also like a big stadium ladrock sensation, somehow? Good for them! Starbuster was maybe the single of the year, so addictive. And the album ain't bad either.
December 12, 2024 at 4:08 PM
Day 12: Fontaines D.C. - Romance. Such a fascinating band. At once really experimental and interesting, but also like a big stadium ladrock sensation, somehow? Good for them! Starbuster was maybe the single of the year, so addictive. And the album ain't bad either.
Day 11: Coded Marking - Coded Marking. Thank-adjacent (I think) in that they're also from Leeds and play enjoyably raucous sort of post-punk. Not sure how known they are or what plans they have beyond this record, but I've been coming back to it lots.
December 11, 2024 at 3:59 PM
Day 11: Coded Marking - Coded Marking. Thank-adjacent (I think) in that they're also from Leeds and play enjoyably raucous sort of post-punk. Not sure how known they are or what plans they have beyond this record, but I've been coming back to it lots.
Day 10: Thank - I Have A Physical Body That Can Be Harmed. Delightful, noisy, very funny collection of songs from the Rock Band Thank from Leeds. If there's a better title than 'Woke Frasier' or a better screamed refrain than 'a pint of Guinness in a Madri glass' out there this year I'd be shocked.
December 10, 2024 at 4:32 PM
Day 10: Thank - I Have A Physical Body That Can Be Harmed. Delightful, noisy, very funny collection of songs from the Rock Band Thank from Leeds. If there's a better title than 'Woke Frasier' or a better screamed refrain than 'a pint of Guinness in a Madri glass' out there this year I'd be shocked.
Day 9: Moin - You Never End. Another Quietus find, this band, all chopped up vocal samples and atmospheric guitars and stuttery drums, are a whole load of moody mysterious fun.
December 9, 2024 at 4:45 PM
Day 9: Moin - You Never End. Another Quietus find, this band, all chopped up vocal samples and atmospheric guitars and stuttery drums, are a whole load of moody mysterious fun.
Day 8: Frail Body - Artificial Bouquet. Centrepiece track ‘Devotion’ is a very rare thing: a six-minute epic of blackened screamo, and it’s the band’s masterpiece. Caught them live twice this year and the show is as moving as it is crushing. Not messing about these lads
December 8, 2024 at 7:44 PM
Day 8: Frail Body - Artificial Bouquet. Centrepiece track ‘Devotion’ is a very rare thing: a six-minute epic of blackened screamo, and it’s the band’s masterpiece. Caught them live twice this year and the show is as moving as it is crushing. Not messing about these lads
Day 7: Couch Slut - You Could Do It Tonight. Oh man it’s so sludgy, occasionally terrifying, frequently hilarious. You need to get on this record.
December 7, 2024 at 11:35 PM
Day 7: Couch Slut - You Could Do It Tonight. Oh man it’s so sludgy, occasionally terrifying, frequently hilarious. You need to get on this record.
Day 6: Bongripper - Empty. One of my favourite bands to put on when working; just massive riffs that go on forever and ever into space. It doesn’t always hit the heights of earlier records, but delivers on being a great big stoner metal lump.
December 6, 2024 at 7:10 PM
Day 6: Bongripper - Empty. One of my favourite bands to put on when working; just massive riffs that go on forever and ever into space. It doesn’t always hit the heights of earlier records, but delivers on being a great big stoner metal lump.