Second Toughest in the Infants

I’m not really a club-going guy, which I feel like is a detriment to listening to this album. In fact, I’ll argue that there’s probably no good way to listen to this album without being in a club. I was in a car driving to Maine for Thanksgiving.

Here’s what ultimately leads me to a 2/5 rating. It’s not that the album is bad, but I zoned out to the extent that I was thinking about (and hearing in my head) other music! That feels like an indictment against this. And, when taking into consideration that this came out around the same time as Daft Punk and Air were making their (superior) debuts, I can’t help but feel that this album lacks imagination.

One if my all time favorites, this is a very easy 5/5 for me, especially if you add Born Slippy to the end

some of the better techno to cross this thing in a minute

Sidebar, there's a million techno releases from the 90s, but afaict *nothing at all* from that EDM boom in the early '10s on here. Like sure I don't think fuckin skrillex really did "albums" as such at the time he hit the mainstream, but like there was a whole era of stuff that lasted *years*, that was a big enough deal that pop artists started biting from it en masse, that’s being completely glossed over. And fuck knows I’m not itching to hear dubstep again for a good long while, but the double standard is glaring

Aparte del famoso "Born Slippy" les escuché de pasada en su época y no me convencieron no sé ahora si años más tarde y sin el hype de esa época del techno me dirá algo el disco. Ese tema en realidad se añadió a este disco posteriormente pero no está incluido en la versión enlazada desde aquí. Me ha aburrido con la excepción del single me ha recordado a los temas menos interesantes de The Prodigy.

Always happy to see some electronic stuff here. Underworld are fantastic. Intelligent proggy stuff that knows how to use ambient sections to make the heavy parts hit harder.

This is great. Smooth electronica with great beat and enough intrigue to keep your attention.

Just the sheer fucking density of the sound. Insane and incredible and awe-inspiring. Never moves like you think it's going to. At once utterly jarring and soothing, a Hell's Kitchen nightclub and a Bali beach at the same time. Music that makes you feel alive.

Hadn't listened to this one before, really enjoyed it though. More so on the second listen; on the first everything melded together a bit. I think Dubnobasswithmyheadman is a better album, and probably a better introduction to Underworld. That's on the list though, so I'll get that eventually, right?...RIGHT???

Only ever heard underworlds key hits, really enjoyed this album great mix of dance and ambient songs. Up their with the best techno Iv heard.

Not really my kind of thing, but oddly hypnotic after a while. No real stand out tracks, but pleasant enough

When I saw the album had less than 10 songs and over an hour long I thought it was gonna drag with 10 minutes songs. I gave it a chance and it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Interesting instrumentals. Good background music.

This album is really quite varied compared to most other electronic music of the time. The fact that they have a dedicated singer kind of sets them apart too. Very versatile sound. Electronic anthems. Favorite track is "Pearl's Girl," probably because it sounds the most like "Born Slippy."

the first track still has me 4 minutes in. though holy shit your first two tracks are combined almost a half hour!? Confusion The Waitress is a solid dub/jungle sound. Its a pretty inocuous album but I have been able to get some solid work done this morning.

I saw someone else doing this, and decided to keep a score like this as well:

Quality of Album: 9/10
1001 album list worthy: 10/10
Personal enjoyment: 8/10

Juanita ; Kiteless ; to Dream of Love is the intense and powerful opener you'd want on any dance album.
Followed up by ambient breakbeat of Banstyle / Sappys Curry as second song it almost doesn't get better in the genre. And that's the first half hour already filled.

On the bonus CD is the song Cherry Pie and that might be the best Underworld has ever released.

Solid electronica. I find it interesting that most of Underworlds drums/backbeat all sounds the same. 3.5/5

Second Toughest In The Infants continues the successful string of three masterpieces in a row that started with Dubnobasswithmyheadman and continued with 1999s Beaucoup Fish.

This is brighter than Dubnobass but also edgier and harder in sound.
The album cover art sets the general mood of the album. The shades of blue display its moody feel and its ambience. The splattering of different shades of blue on the cover and in the booklet displays the albums chaotic sounds. Extremely challenging & intelligent music.
This is not for the narrow-minded.