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California Crossing

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California Crossing
Studio album by
Fu Manchu
ReleasedOctober 23, 2001 (2001-10-23)
January 17, 2002 (Japan)
StudioSound City Studios in Van Nuys, California
GenreStoner rock
Length39:27
LabelMammoth
ProducerMatt Hyde
Fu Manchu chronology
King of the Road
(2000) 		California Crossing
(2001) 		Go for It... Live!
(2003)

California Crossing is the seventh studio album by the American stoner rock band Fu Manchu It was released on October 23, 2001, by Mammoth Records.[1][2]

Production

[edit]

The album was produced by Matt Hyde, who encouraged Fu Manchu to spend more time on preproduction and song arrangements.[3][4] The band pushed the vocals higher in the mix for the album, worked on backing vocals, and tried to keep most of the tracks around three minutes.[5][6] Circle Jerks singer Keith Morris provides vocals on "Bultaco".[7]

Drummer Brant Bjork departed the band after the recording of the album.[8]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
Calgary Herald[10]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[11]
Entertainment WeeklyC[12]
NME[13]
Rolling Stone[14]
St. Petersburg TimesA[15]
USA Today[16]

The Guardian deemed the album "a strangely nihilistic celebration of all things Cali."[17] NME wrote that Fu Manchu "are the stoned Ramones, a matey Motorhead: a band who can rewrite that album into the infinite future and rule perpetually."[13] The Washington Post thought that "more than anything else, it's the band's cartoonish perspective that keeps Crossing from flagging."[18] USA Today called the songs "rooted in mad propulsion, clean sonics and Scott Hill's atonal holler."[16]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleLength
1."Separate Kingdom"3:41
2."Hang On"3:39
3."Mongoose"4:10
4."Thinkin' Out Loud"3:27
5."California Crossing"3:36
6."Wiz Kid"3:51
7."Squash That Fly"2:56
8."Ampn'"3:35
9."Bultaco"3:11
10."Downtown in Dogtown"3:18
11."The Wasteoid" (instrumental)3:52
Japanese edition bonus track
No.TitleLength
12."Planet of the Ape Hangers"3:50

Personnel

[edit]
  • Scott Hill – vocals, guitar
  • Brant Bjork – drums
  • Bob Balch – guitar
  • Brad Davis – bass
  • Matt Hyde – mixer, producer

Production

[edit]

Vocals on "Bultaco" by Keith Morris
Backing vocals by Fu Manchu
Engineered by Nick Raskulinecz
Recorded at Sound City, Van Nuys, CA
Vocals recorded at Aftermath, Laguna, CA
Mixed at Henson Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Mastered by Dave Collins at Steve Marcussen Mastering, Hollywood, CA
Enhanced CD footage filmed by Ken Pucci

All songs written by Fu Manchu, except "California Crossing", lyrics by Rodney Skelton.[19]

Charts

[edit]
Chart (2001) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA Charts)[20] 98

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Fu Manchu | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  2. ^ Knapfel, Jason (November 22, 2001). "Fu Manchu up in smoke". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. p. 3E.
  3. ^ Donovan, Patrick (February 8, 2002). "CD review: California Crossing, Fu Manchu". The Age. Entertainment Guide. p. 7.
  4. ^ Fox, Darrin (February 2002). "Fu Manchu: No shoes, no shirt, no fuzz". Guitar Player. 36 (2): 35–37.
  5. ^ Gonzales, Ron (March 1, 2002). "Fu Manchu tweaks its tones". Albuquerque Journal. p. 13.
  6. ^ Condran, Ed (February 15, 2002). "FU MANCHU ROCKS ON". The Record. Go!. p. 17.
  7. ^ "Fu Manchu California Crossing | Exclaim!". exclaim.ca.
  8. ^ "Reviews". CMJ New Music Report. CMJ Network, Inc. February 11, 2002 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ Curtice, Craig. "California Crossing Review". AllMusic. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  10. ^ Lepage, Mark (March 8, 2002). "Fu Manchu California Crossing (Mammoth)". Calgary Herald. p. D8.
  11. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3. MUZE. p. 628.
  12. ^ "California Crossing". EW.com.
  13. ^ a b Gardner, Noel (September 12, 2005). "Fu Manchu : California Crossing". NME. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  14. ^ Kemp, Rob (January 31, 2002). "California Crossing". Rolling Stone. No. 888. p. 53.
  15. ^ Puckett, Daniel (February 24, 2002). "Audio Files". St. Petersburg Times. p. 7F.
  16. ^ a b Gundersen, Edna (February 12, 2002). "Trail of Fu Manchu roams 'California'". USA Today. p. B12.
  17. ^ "Pop CD releases". the Guardian. February 1, 2002.
  18. ^ "FU MANCHU 'California Crossing' Mammoth". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  19. ^ Sperounes, Sandra (July 8, 2002). "'We're like, yeah, whatever': Slackers work up just enough energy to hit the road again". Edmonton Journal. p. B7.
  20. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 109.
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