"Most of them are pretty down records, pretty unhappy, pretty confused. Which only reflects how people in general were feeling, I mean really the sense that you get is society running down"

In this quote, Lester Bangs is talking about the state of music and society in general. He describes the majority of records as being "down," implying they have a negative or melancholic tone. He also notes that individuals in basic were feeling unhappy and baffled, which is reflected in the music being produced. Bangs suggests that this is a reflection of society as an entire, with a sense of things "diminishing." This could be interpreted as a commentary on the state of the world at the time, with social concerns and personal battles being shown in the music being developed. In general, Bangs is highlighting the connection in between music and society, and how one can be a reflection of the other.