E321 - Great Lakes’ Ben Crum - Top 5 Album 1-2 Punches

E321 - Great Lakes’ Ben Crum - Top 5 Album 1-2 Punches

Author: O3L Media March 17, 2026 Duration: 1:38:58
BIFF! This week, we're focusing on Album 1-2 punches...that is, albums where the first two songs knock you out. BANG! Our Third Lad is Ben Crum from long-running Elephant 6 band Great Lakes. POW! More than 25 years and eight records on from Great Lakes' classic debut, Ben Crum returns with a fantastic new Great Lakes album, Don't Swim Too Close (HHBTM Records). The immediately accessible record draws from classic rock tradition, echoing both the Americana spirit of The Band and Neil Young and the proto-indie rock of Television and the Velvet Underground. Crum's dry humor bubbles up throughout, tempering heavy, earnest moments with wit. WHAMMO! This is very likely to be the only music podcast you listen to today that incorporates both boxing and Scuffy the Tugboat references. KO!! Thanks for Mike Turner from HHBTM Records for the introduction and coordination. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dive into the sonic landscape of the '70s, '80s, and '90s with Only Three Lads-Classic Alternative Music Podcast. Hosted by Uncle Gregg and Brett Vargo, this podcast is a weekly conversation with a rotating cast of "Third Lads" who share their deep knowledge and personal passion for the era's defining sounds. Each episode feels like hanging out with friends who can't wait to tell you about a forgotten B-side or argue the merits of a classic album. You'll hear curated Top Five lists, behind-the-scenes stories, and spirited discussions that span the entire alternative spectrum-from the raw energy of punk and the shimmering hooks of power pop to the dense atmospheres of shoegaze and the gritty rebellion of grunge. The show thrives on discovery, whether revisiting a new wave classic or unpacking a Britpop phenomenon. More than just a retrospective, this podcast captures the ongoing conversation and community around the music. It’s a space for both lifelong fans and curious newcomers to find common ground in a shared love for the artists and anthems that built a genre. Tune in for the insightful, often humorous, and always genuine chat that makes this podcast a destination for anyone who believes great music never gets old.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Only Three Lads - Classic Alternative Music Podcast
Podcast Episodes
E301 - The Shut-Ups - Top 5 Albums with 20+ Songs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:09:40
Sometimes too much is just enough! This week, our criteria is simple…but that doesn’t make it easy. We're looking at albums with 20 or more songs - whether they are long or concise, and regardless of how many slabs of vi…
E300 - O3L's 300th! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:59
Well, geez, you caught us feeling all nostalgic and celebratory. It's time for the landmark 300th episode of Only Three Lads! During this episode, you'll hear: Your messages! A special visit from the original Third Lad..…
E299 - Acapulco Lips - Top 5 Beach Albums [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:40:57
Cowabunga, Moondoggie! Let's pack up the woody and go Huey at the beach! Whaddya say? Yeah, call it bad timing, call it wishful thinking, or call it wistful nostalgia for the bygone summer, but this week we’re having an…
E296 - Rebecca Pidgeon - Top 5 Musician-Actors [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39:46
Well, dog our cats...it's a new episode of O3L! This week, lovin' is what EGOT, as we celebrate those artists who successfully traversed the worlds of music AND acting. And, it just so happens that our Third Lad today, R…
E295 - Gun-Shy Butterfly - Top 5 Women-led Albums of the '90s [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:06:26
We like women. Not in a creepy way (usually)...we mean we really like music created by women. So, in our ongoing series of episodes celebrating women in alternative music, this week we are covering our top 5 women-led al…
E294 - Splitsville - Top 5 Covers That Are Better Than the Originals [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:36:01
We've covered covers before, but this week we're really blowing our cover by covering covers that we feel are better than the originals. With such a controversial topic, you'd best believe that there are petty arguments,…
E293 - The Rain Parade - Top 5 Debut Singles, Vol. 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:56:56
Who said you never get a second chance to make a first impression!?!? Well, we covered some of the best debut singles waaaay back in Episode 32...and now, five years later, we're back to revisit that topic. So take that,…
E292 - The Whimbrels - Top 5 Noise Rock Albums [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:55
Things are gonna get LOUD! This week, we turn the amps up to 11 and put the effects pedals on stun as we celebrate Noise Rock. What exactly is "noise rock" though?? At its simplest definition, it’s rock music that emphas…