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Audio : Spider-Man: Reflections of a Super-Hero

This story is part of a Lookback Series: Sound of the Times

Background...

Thanks to John Couper for sending this CD my way. It's a freaking riot. To those of you who weren't aware (just like I was before receiving this in the mail), I guess 25 years ago someone actually went into the studio to record an entire rock album centering around Spider-Man. Great concept, right? I guess so, because the album was actually released. Now, the guys at Winthrop records have decided it's good enough to warrant a CD re-issue, and voila! It's here. So what's the scoop?

In Detail...

Spider-Man: Reflections of a Super-Hero
 Summary: LP Code LS6001
Label:  Lifesong Records
Publisher:  Blendingwell Music, Inc.
Producer:  Terence P. Minogue, Marty Nelson, William Kirkland
Music:  Crack the Sky, David Sanborn
Lyrics/Arranger:  Alan Axelrod
Singer:  Marty Nelson
Narrator:  Stan Lee
Art:  John Romita, Sr.
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No Month 1976 : SM Title : Spider-Man Musicals

Tracks are:

  1. High Wire
  2. Peter Stays and Spider-Man Goes
  3. Square Boy
  4. New Point of View
  5. Spider-Man
  6. No One's Got a Crush on Peter
  7. Gwendolyn
  8. Count on Me
  9. Dr. Octopus - pt. 1 & 2
  10. Green Goblin
  11. A Soldier Starts to Bleed
  12. Time Will Show me the Way
There's narration tracks between nearly all the musical tracks. As well as the original LP release and the CD re-release, there was a single 45 rpm vinyl release of "Spider-Man" (stereo on one side, mono on the other).

In General...

I'm quite reminded of the Meatloaf-style of Rock Operas. It sounds like Rocky Horror Spider Show. The songs are definitely written with a theatrical approach (I could just see actors dressed up like 60's high-school kids on stage, and a Spider-Man actor swinging across the stage on wires). Each tune is given a 'set-up' by Stan Lee's narration (arguably the best part of the CD), and includes such diverse topics as 'Nobody's got a crush on Peter', 'Peter stays and Spider-Man goes', and 'Square Boy'. The loose organization of songs are supposed to take us on a tour through a day in Peter's life, but the repetitive narration/song organization, combined with the music itself, doesn't do a lot to propagate the flow of any possible story.

So how's the material? In a word, not all that good. The music itself is fine, and the arrangements and the mix are pretty good, considering the time of the original recording, but the lyrics and the subjects kill any insight the music could offer. Could I have enjoyed this album if not for the over-the-top subject matter and badly-written lyrics? Maybe - the musical offering by itself would at least be passable to the lovers of sixties 'acid-rock'. But the singing styles, and the lyrics themselves are just a case of WWWAAAAAYYYYY too much Spider-cheese.

Problem is, I'm not a 45-year-old acid-rock fan with a penchant for over-the-top cheese factor. Hey, I'm a grown man who's into super-heroes, I don't need any more cheese than absolutely necessary.

Overall Rating...

Final verdict on this album - one web. The material isn't quality enough to listen to more than once, and only the most hardcore collector would appreciate adding this to their collections. When the novelty first wears off, this CD becomes something that will linger at the bottom of your CD case for a long time.

By Jason Lindsay (E-Mail)

Footnote...

Al Sjoerdsma Added: I actually like it quite a bit but I must admit to having it on thus far only as background music. I haven't really listened to the lyrics or Stan's chat very closely at all. As for the 70s quality of it... well it sounds sort of nice and nostalgic to me. Of course, I was actually around in the 70s unlike some of you guys. :-)

Four webs from me.

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