Critical Reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+ |
| Robert Christgau | C+ |
| NME | 8/10 |
| Flocked Media | 9.5/10 |
| Fluffhouse | |
| Piero Scaruffi | |
Like Dubnobasswithmyheadman, Second Toughest in the Infants received critical acclaim. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic gave the album 5 out of 5 stars saying that it "carries the same knockout punch of their debut, Dubnobasswithmyheadman, but it's subtler and more varied, offering proof that the outfit is one of the leading dance collectives of the mid-'90s". Anya Sacharow from Entertainment Weekly gave the album a B+ rating saying "This is no dumb-bass dance music. Underworld know how to expand the frenzy of techno and jungle and then retreat to an ambient cool. The art is in the segue". NME gave the album 8/10 stating its smooth of touch, sleek of footing and downright slippery of rhythm, the anti-Green Day trio breezily persevere in their quest for Western groove domination. The album is featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
- Melody Maker (12/21-28/96, pp. 66–67) - Ranked #5 on Melody Maker's list of 1996's "Albums Of The Year."
- Melody Maker (3/9/96, p. 35) - Recommended - "...Underworld are modest/cynical/smart enough to borrow jungle's finest trademarks..."
- Mojo (p. 54) - Ranked #96 in Mojo's "100 Modern Classics" -- "Everything with Underworld is in the detail -- never has the introduction of a hi-hat seemed quite so exciting."
- NME (12/21-28/96, pp. 66–67) - Ranked #37 in NME's 1996 critics' poll.
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