Underworld Album: “Second Toughest in the Infants”

Odd how this record, sandwiched between their critically lauded but flawed debut dubnobasswithmyheadman and club explosive Beaucoup Fish, gets so little mention.

Second Toughest trades their zest for pounding anthems with sleek techno rhythms, a perpetual throb coursing throughout the hour; in doing so all their rave-rock elements, too primitive in Dub, too over-baked in Beaucoup, maintain a balance which forms their masterpiece.

They're far more than a straight techno band, of course, drawing in guitars for crucial accentuation while layering long, luxuriant piano melodies (first explored on Dubno but gelling properly here) as exemplified by sixteen minute opener montage "Juanita/Kiteless/To Dream of Love." Front man Karl Hyde's poetic ramblings are present but more focused - surprisingly poignant in moments - perhaps due to the generally melancholy mood that prevails throughout. "Banstyle/Sappys Curry," with acoustic guitar sitting beside long interrupted synth lines, is nothing shot of a revelation in fusing these elements into dance balladry.

Headrush moments are naturally expected from a gang responsible for "Cowgirl" "Born Slippy" and "Push Upstairs." Hence "Rowla" springs up in the middle, furiously twisting fried out synth stabs over and through the rabbit hole. And then there's that monstrous centerpiece "Pearl's Girl," powered by stuttered high speed drums building to Hyde's growling stream of consciousness listings, a chorus of "crazy crazy crazy" running through the peak. Call it example 1A of how to craft an electronic opus.

Beatless "Blueski," a deceptively simple guitar interlude, ultimately leads to the only disappointment of Second Toughest in the Infants. "Stagger," pushing obtuse lyrics upfront in the mix, babbles about Kentucky Fried Chicken and "random features," an uneasy fit to downtempo backing.

With A Hundred Days Off their newest release, and sans DJ Darren Emerson, the Underworld sound is sure to evolve once again. In the rush to glamorize the new, let's hope some deserved recognition shines upon this 1996 tour de force, still fresh and exhilarating today.

I origionally bought this album when few had heard of it based on a small mention in a paragraph by a reviewer who said it was an overlooked album of that year & it was really great, blah, blah,blah. In the mood for something different, I took a chance.

Based on the first track, the multiphase, morphing cycle "Juanita" alone, this album is worth it, but you also get the otherwordly (Underworldly?) track "Pearl's Girl" and the rest.

This album achieves a fusion of dance, trance, progressive & the ENTIRE time remains strangely, alienly beautiful. It also pulls off the feat of being hypnotic AND energetic at the same time. Most electronic albums seem to be specific to a particular activity or area, i.e. the dance floor, come down/chill out, headphone album. This one manages to be ALL OF THOSE and more.

Underworld's best. Period.

This album makes my soul warm like nothing else in this world ever could. Of all the countless bands and styles of music I listen to, this one CD is my unsurpassable favorite. I've been an Underworld fan since 1991 and no album of theirs has ever disappointed me but of them all, 2nd Toughest is audible magic.

This album completely changed the way I looked at music. It actually became a bench mark for all my future purchases of anything electronic music had to offer. The tracks are more like journeys than songs because they are so expansive and meandering in scope. You can actually get lost in the music. That's how good this album is. There isn't a track on this album that isn't sweet.

I have had this album since it came out and it still grabs me, shakes me up and spins me around. The reason I'm doing this review is the simple fact that the first track on this album is the best 16 minutes of music I have heard in my life (and I listen to a LOT of music). Juanita/Kiteless/To dream of love is truly incredible. I challenge anyone to play this loud and not have the hairs standing up on the back of their necks!!! I have listened to this track thousands of times, I mean it...thousands. And it's mind-numbing originality head-butts me every time. Go and buy it for track one alone.