The Kinks – Low Budget

This is mastered a bit thin and distant. Takes a bit away from the rock.
An entirely under-rated album. One can explain the problem with the mastering. The vinyl is better. Strong songs every one, especially when they didn't HAVE to make strong songs. I mean, who would have expected or insisted upon it at this point in their career. Superbands like Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, Yes, were trying to remain relevant. Kinks were a bit passe. Or were they? Quite noble.
Someone tell me where that riff from track 2 comes from.
Quite a few of these tracks were AM radio hits (at least in South Florida). For example, tracks 5, 6, 9, 10, 11.
Though it's hard to commiserate now, the 1979 dilemma of driving from gas station to gas station with the tank on E was an enigma that is hard to explain (track 9).
Every track has its own value, which is a spirit animal from the 60's, yet here we find that energy suddenly reappearing in the late 70's. This is a heck of an endeavor.
PS: and the cover is right. I think it is quite 1979 to show some toes and some cigarette butts and some asphalt. It flies under the radar of our consciousness these days, but in 1979 this was quite profound, I think. No one else would imagine doing this.