Mark Jenkins reviewed Wedren's 2007 album "Lapland," as well as albums by Iliketrains and Time of Orchids, for The Washington Post:

With Shudder to Think, the D.C.-formed quartet that split almost a decade ago, singer-guitarist Craig Wedren crafted an idiosyncratic tangle of punk and glam-pop. He then unraveled his style and used its diverse parts to compose songs and incidental music for movies and TV. On his first solo album, "Lapland," Wedren indulges a more personal vision, and his distinctive falsetto, yet doesn't fully return to his old sonic eccentricity.

The album opens with the gentle "Kingdom," which could be a neo-folkie ditty if not for its upper-register flourishes, and climaxes with "One Man's Heart," which pits airy vocals against grubby guitar. Yet many of the songs are utterly mainstream, and two were even written with Jimmy Harry, whose clients include Britney Spears. "Stuck" and the Wedren-Harry "Do You Harm" are impeccable modern pop tunes that build to stirring chorales. If they don't reestablish Shudder's oddball grandeur, they do soar.

Sort of the landlocked equivalent of British Sea Power, Iliketrains plays epic dirges about U.K. history, often performing in outdated railway uniforms. "We All Fall Down," which begins the Leeds, England, quintet's "Elegies to Lesson Learnt," is about the bubonic plague, and most of the other tracks are equally gloomy. Deciphering all their subjects may require reading the booklet of essays available only with a limited edition of the CD. But the vibe and sound are easily identified: Nick Cave and Tindersticks. Baritone frontman David Martin sings slowly even when the band plays quickly, as it does here only on "We Go Hunting." The sound is dramatic, impeccably controlled and only a little histrionic. More stylistic variety would help, but livelier melodies would make sense only if the band addressed topics other than disease, murder and damnation.

There are moments on Time of Orchids' "Namesake Caution" that combine Wedrenlike vocal arrangements with Iliketrains' stateliness. Yet this New York quartet (which records for the local Cuneiform label) is partial to sudden outbursts and rhythmic twists that show its affinity for jazz-rock.

Unlike many who employ such tactics, the Orchids rarely veer into atonal noise. Much of the album is pretty, although the "Pet Sounds"-like harmonies of such songs as "The Only Thing" often float over prog-rock and art-metal fanfares. The strategy is risky, yielding music too sweet for metal heads and too weird for pop fans. For listeners who enjoy unexpected juxtapositions, however, "Namesake Caution" is an off-kilter pleasure.

Catherine P. Lewis reviewed a January 2006 Craig Wedren performance for The Washington Post:

During Craig Wedren's 75-minute set on Sunday night at the Black Cat Backstage, it was easy to tell which songs were written with his old band, Shudder to Think, and which were products of his recent solo career. Not only did the former feature rowdier arrangements, they also received a heartier reception from the crowd, who was quick to show enthusiasm for such rockers as "Hit Liquor" and "X-French Tee Shirt."

But Wedren devoted most of the set to his mellower solo material. In fact, these laid-back arrangements were even more captivating than his more aggressive material. The hauntingly plucked melody of "Kingdom" was augmented by the song's slow pace, while glimmering guitar chords balanced Wedren's melancholy falsetto on "Fifteen Minutes Late." In addition to performing with a three-piece band, Wedren further enhanced his songs' arrangements by looping and layering his vocals to create lush counter-melodies on such songs as the catchy "She Don't Sleep."