The alternative group 3 lb. Thrill was formed in 1994 by guitarist, pianist, and vocalist Matt Brown, bassist Bill Decker, drummer Pete McDade, and vocalist Jeff Jensen on harmonica and guitar. The band's music, much of it written by Brown, offers fans guitar-based soft grunge, similar to tunes by groups like Total Chaos, Royal Hunt, and The Mutton Birds.

Brown, Decker, McDade, and Jensen had all originally worked together in a pop band called Uncle Green. While performing as the long-lived Uncle Green, the band released five albums. Its first, What an Experiment His Head Was, came out in 1980 under the DB Records label. With tracks like "I Always Knew You'd Come to Me," "Guilty Party," and "Don't Fix It if It Works," Uncle Green's music was compared to that of artists like Root Boy Slim & The Sex Change Band and Thin White Rope.

By 1994, Uncle Green was officially laid to rest, but its members rose again as 3 lb. Thrill. The foursome signed with Brendan O'Brien over at the 57 Records label, a subdivision of Sony 550 Music. The group, with its new name and a slightly revamped sound, released its debut album, Them Crooked Vultures, in 1995. The album is filled with numbers like "Baby Come Clean," "Something Will Come," and "Bikini Island." ~ Charlotte Dillon, Rovi