Waxworks Records released their second entry in the Rob Zombie Presents series: Spider Baby. How does the second entry hold up in comparison to the first?
Unlike White Zombie, which was a single LP, Spider Baby is a double LP, with each record being a different color. Once again, Graham Humphries knocked it out of the park on the artwork with a layout that truly captures the chaos of the film.
For extras, there is a 12″X12″ art print with the credits for the records production on the back. The other is a booklet that’s loaded with stills from the film as well as an informative interview by Rob Zombie with writer/director Jack Hill and Actress Beverly Washburn.
Another difference between this and the White Zombie release is that this is more of a traditional OST, where White Zombie interweaves audio clips from the film as well as the music. However, it opens with the film’s theme song as performed by Lon Chaney Jr, and it closes with the theme with only Chaney’s performance with no music attached.
The score itself is a blend of creepy and fun just like the tone of the film, with Itsy Bitsy Spider weaving its way throughout.
So how does it stack up with White Zombie? I think they are great at different things. Where White Zombie was a vibe that’s sort of like half listening to a horror movie in the background, while Spider Baby is more of a traditional score with a cleaner sound. If you’re a fan of the films, both are worth having in your collection for their own reasons.