Disco de Underworld: “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.

For me, when reviewing Underworld is extremely hard to stay objective. They're music has struck a cord with me, and it always will. But I think you all will agree with me that Underworld has transformed the way we see "dance" music. So let's start. Here I am listening to the last Underworld full-length album to be released on TVT/Wax Trax records 2nd Toughest in the Infants. A brilliant and blissful album that has you entangled from the first touch of sound. "Juanita: Kiteless / To Dream Of Love" opens the album, plunging us into the dark, soothing sea that is Underworld. For 17 + minutes we are subjected to raw syncopated rhythms, cool 303 & Juno lines, and Karl's soft melodic voice and guitar. 13 minutes into it, the whole experience breaks down into a full vocal and piano section which sends us deeper into the sea and lets us up for air a little while later. At the end of the experience, the vibe goes more ambient as we listen to Karl recite different colors.

"Banstyle/Sappys Curry" mixes jungle and techno, Underworld style. Quirky synth effects and ambient pads fill the air with a calm, mild feeling. And to top it off, at about 2 minutes Karl comes in with his vocals. Things pretty much stay the same, until 6 minuets into it when Karl's guitar kicks in and changes everything around into a track that could have been off the "dubnobass..." album. Near the end of this 15-minute classic, things get real interesting. It all seems to come together almost, The synth kicks back in with a wild appregato and restores the track to what it was 15 minutes earlier. "Confusion the Waitress" Is ambient and almost trip hop (if it just didn't have that hard bass drum count). Karl's vocals dominate the track with a 6 minute "she said" lyric. There is not too much more to say, really. This is a track that you really have to listen close to understand. "Rowla" or as some of you might call it, "Cherry Pie" (from the Pearls Girl EP. Slightly different, but basically the same song). This track is one of the better of the high energy techno songs such as "Tin There" and "Moaner". This one eats away at your brain with its acidy synth lines and simple drums. Destined to make you groove, there is not point resisting this track. "Pearls Girl" is a track that took me awhile to get into. The ambient build is killer, but when it breaks I wasn't expecting that beat. It kinda threw me a little. But, after a few minutes or so I really got into its weird jungle sounds and almost industrial technique. Again, Karl's lyrics are the perfect touch, blending smoothly between the raw energy and mystical spirit. A great track, but not my favorite of the Underworld singles. "Air Towel" is next on the list, a more up beat melodic piece. Karl opens his mouth once again and lets his sweet nothings escape over different syncopated noises and sounds. This track has a mild minimalist sound to it, reminiscent of Westbam or Uberzone. "Blueski" is one of my favorite Underworld tracks. Mostly its an interlude, consisting of different guitar riffs layered over and over each other, some samples are two beats off time and they add a real dimension to the barely 3 minute track. If Underworld were to expand this track, add a little more to it, maybe a lyric I think it would make a great full length tune. But it is still wonderful "as is". "Stagger" raps up the album, with 7 minutes of pure Karl Hyde. Ambient piano, Karl's voice, and a mild drum make for a truly mellow and intoxicating voyage. Everything comes together when the drums pick up around 3 and a half minutes. This track would be on my best of Underworld compilation, and it makes a great ending to this album. After everything is said and done, Underworld has pioneered a new style of techno that no one will ever be able to duplicate. Its pure musicianship alone sets it apart from the others, along with its incorporation of acoustic guitars and stream-of-conciseness lyrics. Karl once said that he wants the lyrics to be more of an instrument in the music, not the main part of it like in classic rock or club music. I believe he's done a great job, and so have Darren and Rick. Some people will debate over which Underworld album is the best, and the answer to it is that none of them are better than the others. They are all a part of what is underworld. Enough Said.

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.

What more can really be said? I agree with many here, that this is simply the best techno album ever created. It's tough to call Underworld's music "techno" though. Underworld distinguishes itself, and just simply cannot be molded into a specific genre. Somehow they manage to infuse so many sounds and styles into their music, it becomes truly unique. Techno, trance, electronica, pop, punk, it's all here.

I was introduced to this album about 7 years ago. It was my first Underworld experience. To this day I get chills when I listen. If you can't blast it, listen to this album with headphones to really pick out the detail. This is timeless piece of music.