Second [Import]

Underworld | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 13, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Hyperrealist
• ASIN: B000AMSR2Q
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #352,875 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Red Sky

2. Son Of Sun

3. Vision

Editorial Reviews

Japanese only re-release of their amazing 1996 album 'Second Toughest In The Infants' now includes a bonus 3 inch 3 track CD containing, 'Born Slippy (Short)', 'Pearl's Girl (14996 Mix Version)' & the mega-rare track, 'Puppies'. 11 tracks in all spread of the 2 cd's. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars They can dish it oat, October 25, 2005

By 

Joe (Savannah, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Second (Audio CD)

These guys are really good. You should really see them shred live in order to get a better idea of their abilities (I believe). Their first ep is also definetly worth getting although its only available from the the label (...). I don't really feel the need to identify a favorite between the two because they're both noteworthy. My personal favorites on this ep are the first and third tracks. Anyways, listen to it you like any sort of intelligent angry music. Also, wailing guitars and slick drumming are a large part of this.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Only Second Toughest?, October 25, 2002

By 

Distant Voyageur "Nicholas Computer" (Io) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Second (Audio CD)

Underworlds second masterpiece in a row finds them incorporating more of an aquatic sound to their music. Dubnobasswithmyheadman was already a classic when it was released in 1994. 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 CD is brighter than Dubnobass but also edgier and harder in sound. As of writing this review, I haven't heard their newest work, A Hundred Days Off, yet but judging from the snippets I've heard, it sounds good. I'm confident it could be masterpiece number four! 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 CD is! This is not for the narrow-minded.

Things get started with a blast with the first track, the three part, 16 and a half minute Juanita/Kiteless/To Dream Of Love. It starts off with jungle beats, electronic droning rhythms, and light beats. Gradually the beats become more pulsating and pounding as the song plays along and then those spacey voice vocals come in. As it goes along, it basically stays the same until piano synths come in along with some ambient guitars. Everything stops 6 minutes into the song except for a bizarre rhythm that keeps going and then the beats return and the song starts back up. Around the 9 minute mark, the song morphs into more of a Front 242-esque track with industrial techno sounds before the piano keyboards return. Ultimately the beat ends while the keyboards keep going. Banstyle/Sappys Curry is a far more ambient track with fast paced rave-like beats and aquatic ambient beats giving the feel of running at full speed on a rainy cloudy morning. The song hardly changes during the first 6 minutes until a more legato ambient keyboard comes in and the fast paced beats fade out. A six-string acoustic guitar comes in and a slower beat comes in along with rock guitars. Ultimately, the song becomes a hard-edged techno number and culminating during the last minute & a half before fading out. What a song! Confusion The Waitress is a perkier song with a thumping beats, and a less ambient sound and more sex appeal vocals. Quite a bit repetitive but hey, it's Underworld and the song is good. The song ends with the recording suddenly being interrupted. Rowla begins with buzzy ambient keyboards and then fast techno rave beats come in. The song builds up over the next two minutes and gets harsher and edgier and becomes a chaotic and explosive classic that'll shatter your headphones if you're not too careful LOL. After the awesome chaos of Rowla, things seem to calm down for a moment with Pearls Girl until it too becomes a fast paced techno song although not quite as chaotic as the one before it. The vocals come on with radio amplified vocals and then echo away just before returning once again. After 6:40 the song sort of winds down after that before picking back up and fading out. This song to tell you the truth needs to be listened to know what it truly sounds like. This is one track to enjoy on a stormy morning. Air Towel is a more laid back track with less of the explosive techno of the two previous tracks and less ambience. This song could fit well on Beaucoup with its relatively staccato sound and is actually kind of similar to the last four minutes of Cups. Blueski is a simple 3 minute track with mainly electric guitars and a bluesier sound. A good song but I have to say it's my least favorite track on the CD. Even so, Blueski is a good song to listen to. It's also the mellowest track on the CD. The final track Stagger, wraps up the album. It's starts off with simple cymbals and then echoing beats. It's a mellow trancey number with haunting vocals and very eerie keyboards that give me the chills. It also has a bit of a New Age feel with its mellow aquatic feel. Whoa! The unique chord changes and the echoing vocals are stunning. Around the 3:15 mark, echoing beats come in and higher pitched keyboards come in too. I love the part of where the keyboards stop for a moment and with the intelligent nonsense lyrics over just the beat before the keyboards return. Things wind down before the track ends and the beat echoes away, ending the 73 minute aural road trip of Second Toughest In The Infants.

Absolutely an essential recording, Second Toughest In The Infants is a techno classic that is amazing from start to finish. Just the detailed review I wrote isn't enough and this album offers a lot, I repeat, A LOT more than what my review can muster up. If you liked Dubnobasswithmyheadman, you're destined to love this one too. In fact I don't think you can go wrong with any of their albums. Beaucoup Fish is also a great one to get and is a great companion to this one. If you know and already appreciate, the ambience of Dubnobasswithmyheadman and the harsher techno beats of Beaucoup Fish, then be prepared for what this disc has to offer. If not, buy those two albums fist and give them a listen. For those who aren't too scared off, welcome to the Underworlds toughest album! You can't go wrong with any of their four albums.