Many of the lyrics of the album, mostly written by vocalist Tommy Scott and inspired by films, are darkly humorous and largely story-driven, featuring numerous sadistic characters.

[10] "Money", "Kill Me", "Neighbourhood", "Female of the Species", "Me and You Versus the World" and "Dark Clouds" (the first two combined as a double A-side) were released as singles, though the former was re-recorded for the album.

It was released on 5 July 1993 as a 12" single through Hug Records, set up by the band's long-time manager and supporter Mark Cowley, with artwork designed by Carl Hunter of The Farm.

Whilst on tour, the band discovered the music of hip-hop group Cypress Hill, and quickly became attracted to their bass-driven grooves and use of sampling.

[12] Successful indie label Gut Records (who previously had chart hits with Right Said Fred on their sub-label Tug) paid attention to the band and offered them a deal in January 1995.

[14] Gerald Lynch performs as a guest percussionist on five of the album's songs, with Tony Pierce providing trumpet on "Dark Clouds" and "Charlie M".

At the time, only people who had their basses really high on their chests played those instruments".. "Female of the Species" was initially performed using a straight beat, until Griffiths came up with the idea to "stick scratching samples and a hip-hop swing underneath the track".

[15] David "Yorkie" Palmer sang backing vocals on "Neighbourhood", although he had yet to officially join the band, though he assisted them in recording many of the album's B-sides.

[17] Parts of the album are said to echo British bands such as Squeeze, the Kinks, Madness and Buzzcocks as well as crooner Frank Sinatra[17] and The Walker Brothers.

[2] The magazine reckoned the closest comparison for Spiders would be the "psychedelic dance beats of Shaun Ryder's groups, Happy Mondays and Black Grape".

"[22] Much of Scott's childhood was spent watching violent American movies on television, which were an influence on the lyrics, but "instead of just relying on the sadistic imagery," the band "go for the full subversive effect by placing those images within the context of upbeat, chipper melodies".

"[23] Opening song "Neighbourhood" is an "exotically-flavoured show tune" which features elements of "spy theme music"[22] and a "mish-mash of styles".

[18] The song's lyrics concern of characters in the "neighbourhood" such as a "local tranvestite", a serial killer vicar, "the big butch queen" and "the folks who make a living off of crime - but are never there because they're all doing time".

"[26] The "goofy number" has been described as "Burt Bacharach meets alternative lounge music" which is "sprinkled with some xylophones" and contains a background of "Mexican cha-chas".

"Me & You Vs the World", with lyrics inspired by 1994 film Natural Born Killers, is said to emulate the "early British pop of the 60's in that same vein as the Kinks and Herman's Hermits".

Scott lurches into a spoken-word verse when the narrator gets shot, and the music all but stops except for a hazy and slow pulsating techno throb.

The guitars suddenly rise at just the right moment and turn the tune back into the catchy-as-heck pop melody that finishes with a couple happy to go to hell together.

"[27] "Love Child of the Queen", a tongue-in-cheek guitar pop song, is the first of three consecutive tracks written and sung by Jamie Murphy.

[17] "No-One Understands" is a "satirical lament" according to Johnny Cigarettes of NME,[17] which features "overly mixed guitars" which make the song "maddeningly and engrossingly repetitive",[27] whilst "Voodoo Roller" takes inspiration from the 1995 film The Usual Suspects.

"Drop Dead" is a funk rock track sung from the point of view of a celebrity stalker,[28] whilst "Dark Clouds" is an ironic "holiday siesta" featuring a trumpet solo.

"[23] Journalist Stuart Bernan explained "that's Tommy for ya, expressing his romantic side by playing on his girlfriend's worst fear.

"[23] In the words of Dotmusic, "Space's idiosyncratic pop sensibility coupled with Gut's marketing approach has proved to be a winning combination.

"[32] The label was used to "working with acts that don't necessarily seek to conform", and, having started life as a plugging company, "its reputation in this field has helped to harness Radio One support for the singles and secure TV appearances on shows such as Chris Evans' TFI Friday".

"[20] The band were not expecting any American success, concerned that Spiders "might sound too European" due to "its dance beats, fuzzy guitar, and singer Tommy Scott's jaunty vocals".

"[49] Jonathan Dale of the UWO Gazette said that, "regardless of what the interpretation is, Space creates original sounds that, despite the images surrounding it, will always remain witty, whimsical pop that everyone deserves to hear...despite certain phobias.

Alex Henderson of AllMusic, in a retrospective review, was largely favourable, calling it "quirky and often highly clever" and "one of the most appealing alternative rock releases of 1996".

[51] He praised their "enjoyably twisted sense of humour" and said that, although "the rockers can be overly self-indulgent," Space, "like Frank Zappa and George Clinton, generally use their eccentricity advantageously".

[64] Having never been re-released, in 2014, NME included Spiders in its list of "30 Glorious Britpop Albums That Deserve a Reissue Pronto," with one reviewer commenting: "Just reel off those beauties – 'Neighbourhood', 'Me and You vs the World', 'Female of the Species' – it's imperative that a new generation of kids hears these songs.

"[65] In 2016, a limited edition picture disc vinyl of the album was made available on Record Store Day, 20 years after its original release.

[35] Murphy's personal problems led to him missing some of the band's live shows and television appearances, with manager Mark Cowley often filling in during his absence.