Second Toughest in the Infants
Artist(s):
Underworld
Label: Junior Boy's Own
Publisher(s):
Junior Boy's Own
Studio: Junior Boy's Own
Manufacturer: Junior Boy's Own
Binding: Audio CD
List Price: £9.99
Similar Items:
Beaucoup Fish
Dubnobasswithmyheadman
A Hundred Days Off
Oblivion With Bells
Everything Everything
Leftism
Dig Your Own Hole
Orbital II
Underworld 1992 - 2002
Rhythm and Stealth
Track Listing
1.
Juanita
2.
Kiteless
3.
To Dream Of Love
4.
Banstyle/Sappys Curry
5.
Confusion The Waitress
6.
Rowla
7.
Pearl's Girl
8.
Air Towel
9.
Blueski
10.
Stagger
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.co.uk Review
Second Toughest in the Infants came three years after Underworld's potent debut Dubnobasswithmyheadman. Following the group's massive Trainspotting soundtrack hit "Born Slippy", at first glance this offering seems to carry the same epic and elaborate edge of that huge hit.
Opening with an opulent triptych called "Juanita", "Kiteless" and "To Dream Of Love"--three tracks which segue seamlessly into each other and form a quite splendid 16-minute Underworld-a-thon--the trio certainly weren't afraid to indulge when making this LP. The next track, "Banstyle/Sappys Curry" seems to confirm this, weighing in at an impressive 15 minutes, though this time nose-diving into some atmospheric, oceanic drum & bass a la LTJ Bukem.
Throughout the rest of the album, Underworld alternate between assuaging their raging club beats with warm washes of sound and beatless splashes of colour, and offering more straight-up heavyweight club fodder. "Confusion the Waitress" carries a definite prog-rock feel in places, "Pearls Girl" takes a more breakbeat-fuelled route and is arguably one of the album's most thrilling moments, while tracks such as "Air Towel" are as insubstantial as their name suggests--flimsy, inconsequential "Detroitian" workouts lacking real punch. "Blueski" is a little better, straying as it does into an acoustic psychedelic roam while the final track "Stagger" is a similarly beatless meander, though more maudlin and electronic this time and featuring Hyde's best vocal performance of the album. Overall, there are some solid tracks here, but it's less sinewy and more indulgent feel make it not quite as essential as its predecessor. --Paul Sullivan
Customer Reviews
This must be a 5 star album
Firstly, I have to tell you, this is one of my Desert Island Discs. There are songs here which are long and take you on a journey, so not your average pop rubbish by any means, far from it. this is like a new Pink Floyd. Perhaps it takes a few listens to get into their groove, but once there, this album will be with you for life. Banstyle is the warmest, cruisy trip I have ever heard. I just love this track. There are short whimsicle numbers and one of the best dance tracks ever and I'm not talking about Born Slippy. Juanita will let you dance your arse off. Once this album has hooked you, go out and investigate further. Beaucoup Fish is fantastic as are many of their single releases which often have absolute gems hidden away... Enjoy
Time Tested Great
Ive had this Album since it was released and it still gets a regular Airing in my CD player. How many 13 year old albums can you say that about? Some people at the time were expecting an abum full of Born slippy and Rez clones. They were the Disapointed ones. What the rest of us got was a musical journey that is proving itself timeless.
Spoiled by one careless review
Why review this album if it is not the kind of music you usually listen to? Ok, if you like Underworld and this comes as a real disappointment, then fair enough. But to have this album as a random review, and slate it, is a waste of time.
I refer to the one-star review below - check the rest of the reviews from the same person: a few negative reviews, however I can appreciate them. For example, the review for a Miles Davis album relates to the incorporation of rap, which the reviewer has a clear dislike of. Fair enough. But why slate an album simply because it is not to your taste???
I have bought some howlers in the past - my mistake - but I didn't go out of my way to rubbish them...
Anyway, A damn fine record sirs, Pearls girl is a beast of a track; it leads you in gently and smacks you square in the face with that beat. Beautiful. The rest also all great.
Don't let one bad star ruin the rest of them, if Underworld is to your taste, go get this record, and if it isn't, leave it alone (all the more Underworld for the rest of us!!)
dark trance genius
utterly fantastic if you like dark repetitive beats that go on for an age ... love having this on in the car for long drives after surfing ... takes me to a special place listening to just the first (or 3 depending on your opinion) track - i recommend this as well as dubnobass.. and beaucoup as essentials for any collection if your into 'decent' dance music
Therapeutic
This "music" can be quite therapueutic. Simply listen for ten minutes to this mind numbing unmusical repepition of childishly simple themes thumped out to the same never changing rhythm, and when you finally go "phew" and stop the garbage, replacing it with - well virtually anything from the last 500 years of the world's musical output - you will feel extraordnarily relieved, like a great weight was lifted from your shoulders. Listen to it, then be thankful that there is such a thing as music after all, and thereafter use the CD to rest your coffee cup on, because that's all it is good for.
