We all know someone we love who is afraid of spiders. If you ever need to remember the countless screams, giggles, frantic prancing and playing the floor is lava when they see a spider this might be a song you need. On the flip side for those who are afraid of spiders, this is a reminder of those who capture our spiders for us.
Ross Newhouse weaves a stunning visual tapestry in his newest song “The Spider Song”. A soft indie folk lullaby about spiders, love, and unconditional care in the face of fear, no matter how silly. This is a spin on a love song that goes beyond an “I love you” but an “I see you and will protect you no matter what you need”. Through soft and warm vocals and introspective lyrics Ross creates a poetic parallel between a fear of spiders and harsh self judgements - from arachnids to introspection.
Growing up I was the one afraid of spiders, now I am the spider catcher. I know my partner probably wouldn’t love me telling the world about their fear of spiders but this song came across my desk the day after a spider experience we had. I was in my room waiting for therapy to start on Zoom and they were in my living room and suddenly I got texts and a call for help…a spider had emerged on the carpet next to them. I came out of my room with my laptop (just in case therapy started mid spider hunt) and they were hiding across the room. I simply walked over and smooshed the spider. I wasn’t as soft and gentle as the song by catching it in a tupperware (look it was kinda big and I was in a time crunch, normally I’d save the little guy).
Sometimes a spider isn’t always a physical creature…sometimes I think spiders can be like our thoughts, weaving intricate and complicated and almost inescapable webs in our mind. Sometimes we need someone to be delicate as we are trapped in the corner of our minds running from our spiders.
New Jersey native Ross Newhouse writes songs that feel like looking through a stranger's scrapbook: the photographs may not be yours, but they evoke that sense of familiarity that comes from peeking into another’s life and realizing you have shared experiences. You may not know whether to laugh or cry in response, but Ross assures you that it’s okay to do both. In his live sets, Ross takes time to contextualize his songs, transporting the audience to the time and place they were written. Because of this, Ross’s music tends to connect with audience members on a deeper level, and post-show conversations range from weddings and anniversaries to grief and healing.
Review by Hannah Schneider