50,000 B.C.

Kevin March, formerly of the Dambuilders, joined the band as its new drummer prior to the recording of 50,000 B.C.[2] Singer Craig Wedren was battling Hodgkin's disease during the writing of the album; the band rewrote many of its songs to avoid producing an album that sounded too much like Pony Express Record.[5][6] The album was produced by Ted Niceley.[7]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[8]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[9]
The Huntsville Times	[10]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide	[11]
Pitchfork	3.7/10[12]
Spin	5/10[13]
St. Petersburg Times	A−[14]

The Washington Post thought that "Shudder hasn't sacrificed any of its cleverness, but it has added a little bit of soul, which is what makes this the band's most compelling album."[15] Guitar Player wrote that "the band forgets about punk credibility and lets guitarist Nathan Larson fashion the kind of gleaming pop-metal hooks that his gutsy playing has always hinted at."[16]

Spin opined that "for fully half the tracks on this album, Wedren's voice could not unfairly be compared to that of Journey's Steve Perry."[13] The Sunday Times declared that "'Beauty Strike' is the perfect Shudder to Think song, rushing at breakneck speed round unpredictable musical blind corners, an irresistible melody nailed to its back bumper, but the album is eventually marooned in a swamp of lumpy metallic riffing."[17] The Independent wrote that the album "has real fibre, a depth and passion that's rare in guitar power rock."[18]

AllMusic called the album "the kind of eclectic post-punk that will primarily appeal to critics and record collectors."[8]

All songs written by Craig Wedren, except where noted.