The soaring music of Spider-Man

"Pinch me, I bleed," says Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man in the blockbuster motion picture Spider-Man 2. And bleed is what this superhero does. Not literally perhaps but through a roller coaster of emotions that ordinary humans can identify with. This was what Superman had no need of. This was what the Batman films tried for and failed. X-Men gave the first hint that it was possible to put moving drama in an action-fantasy flick. But Spider-Man 2 brought it to full realization. After this one, superheroes will never be the same again.

Spider-Man 2 is the sequel to Spider-Man from two years ago. Both films were based on the comicbook adventures created by Stan Lee for Marvel Comics about a high school kid who acquired superstrength and all the qualities of a spider because of a science experiment gone haywire. The first film introduced Spider-Man. The second takes him to more adventures, pits him against a truly hateful but also pathetic villain, allows him to find true love and takes through the Hamlet stage where he vacillates on staying as Spider-Man or becoming just an ordinary college kid in the big city. The marvel of it all is that this tale unfolds against some of the most magnificently staged action scenes ever seen on film. So while you are reacting with your heart to the human drama, your eyes are feasting on the visuals on the screen.

It is no wonder then that the music of the Spider-Man 2 soundtrack is no different. The album billed as "music from and inspired by Spider-Man 2" is made up of sentimental rock tunes that true-blue rockers frown upon but which is hot, hot, hot in the charts right now. It is as edgy as everything about the film, but just as movie-goers easily identified with the conflicting feelings in Peter Parker/Spider-Man, listeners can also relate to the songs chosen for the album.

It does not hurt at all that the line-up is also very chart friendly with names like Hoobastank, Maroon 5, Jet, the Grammy winning group Train and other young musicians who doubtless came under the influence of the Spider-Man character at some point in their lives. That is unless, they never read a comicbook or watched television. And take note of the titles of the songs. Anybody who has seen the movie can easily pinpoint the scenes where these would be appropriate. Vindicated by Dashboard Professional, Did You, by Hoobastank, Hold On by Jet, Gifts and Curses by Yellowcard, Woman by Maroon 5, Who I Am by Smile Empty Soul, Ordinary by Train and others.

As for those who want to relive those magnificent swings from one New York skyscraper to another and the scary presence of the diabolical Doc Ock, the album also includes score music by Danny Elfman, the Spidey Suite and the Doc Ock Suite.

More spidey music and this time from Michael Bublé who gets to swing on his own web with his own Spider-Man tune. The new single release presents Bublé with an edge. Slimmer, sporting a new hairstyle and a trendy wardrobe, Bublé sings the Spider-Man theme from the animated series on television that was very popular some years ago.

I know there was not much time to pay attention to anything else given all the action going on in the screen but if you took time to listen to the music while watching the picture, then you must have heard Bublé go Spider-Man, Spider-Man… He does not rock as much as the songs included in the soundtrack album but he does a fun version that should delight everybody who remembers the song.

The CD also contains five mixes of Sway, one of the best songs from Bublé’s first album. Those interested in how remixes work should be interested. Like how do you get a salsa or a rhumba mix from a single recording? If you only want to listen to the Spider-Man tune, I do not see any problem with also listening to Sway. It is a great song, no matter what the mix is.

As for Bublé, he still sounds great, but it has been more than a year since his debut album and his Sway has already appeared in two CDs and one videodisc. I believe it is now about time for his second album.