it's fine

My dad used to play this album on our annual family road trip to Florida during the first week of February as we retreated from the cold to escape somewhere warmer. No matter how often I return to listen to it on my own I find it to be straight forward and comforting. However, I will refuse to acknowledge that my preference for it is completely skewed by nostalgic bliss, but instead as I listen to it now as the summer heat relentlessly blasts 100°F temperatures I will unabashedly rave about this album and the sounds of Van Morrison as being about the joys of life during summer.

I too often unfairly dismissed Franz Ferdinand as a one hit wonder due to the degree Take Me Out overshadows their entire discography, but the album as a whole does stand up on it's own and features a few other songs that can match it.

Not impressed by this classic rock album. For some of the slower songs I did enjoy the sounds of folk rock allowing for the lyrics to shine through and to create moments of thoughtful reflection. Sad Memory was a standout. But I just could not find myself interested in this as a whole. Buffalo Springfield remains a one hit wonder to me for For What It's Worth with only a few other songs I would want to revisit.

each song is too long and unnecessarily drags on just for Jimi to make every second a vanity project for him to show off how amazing he is at playing guitar

💯

At the beginning of this album I thought about how it is a quintessential example of a punk album that on a modern day relisten comes off as no longer being relevant when comparing it to the genre as a whole after it's release, even if it was transgressive for the period it was released in and for the genre it pioneered it has an undeniably impactful legacy. But in 2025 listening to God Save the Queen and Johnny Rotten yelling about England's fascist regime it continues to feel pointedly sharp in it's continued relevance.

One of my favorite atmospheric albums ever, it perfectly captures a sullen melancholy mood in a setting that feels like a dimly-lit smoke-filled cocktail lounge.

I needed an excuse to listen to this album because it's not my favorite Kanye album and I rarely revisit it, especially because of how long it is. I was excited that this was the album of the day giving me the excuse I needed. But relistening to the album my experience was aligned with my expectations, and I feel justified I am hesitant to listen to this without an excuse. After spending time as a producer hidden behind the curtain, Kanye's ego forced it's way out in a debut album that solidified him as one of the greatest rap producers of all time, and kicked off his career as the rapper unafraid to write the corniest lyrics of all time. College Dropout is a sneak peek into everything Kanye will do in the future: an album that drags on, music where I get bored and irritated wanting it to end, songs with stand out production, songs with surprising instrumentals and excellent production that I never noticied before when listening closely, Kanye showing his genius in good ability to know who to collaborate with to make a song really stand out, Kanye lyrics being annoying, Kanye lyrics being clever, Kanye lyrics being funny. However, I'm at my happiest when the album is finally done and I can move on to something else. Rating 4 stars because 3 is an injustice to Kanye's production.

In January 2021 I only gave this a 3.5, but I really enjoyed it on relisten so it deserves a 4. I'm not well versed in jazz for it to be higher, though, or to provide a more thoughtful review.

I like New Wave

enjoyable Bob Dylan album

its fine

This had some good droning guitar sounds. I like the album cover.

second half gets a little boring but instrumentally Lou Reed and John Cale aren't pulling any punches to help create that perfect mix for haunting pop sounds as a backdrop to Nico's voice