California Crossing

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California Crossing
California Crossing.jpg
Studio album by
Fu Manchu
ReleasedOctober 23, 2001
January 17, 2002 (Japan)
Recordedat Sound 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)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic4/5 stars[1]
Calgary Herald2.5/4 stars[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music3/5 stars[3]
Entertainment WeeklyC[4]
NME4/5 stars[5]
Rolling Stone3/5 stars[6]
St. Petersburg TimesA[7]
USA Today2.5/4 stars[8]

California Crossing is an album by the American stoner rock band Fu Manchu, released in 2001 through Mammoth Records.[9][10]

Production[]

The album was produced by Matt Hyde, who encouraged Fu Manchu to spend more time on preproduction and song arrangements.[11][12] 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.[13][14] Circle Jerks singer Keith Morris provides vocals on "Bultaco".[15]

Drummer Brant Bjork departed the band after the recording of California Crossing.[16]

Critical reception[]

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."[5] 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."[8]

Track listing[]

  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" – 3:52
  12. "Planet of the Ape Hangers" (Japanese version only)

Personnel[]

  • Scott Hill - vocals, guitar
  • Brant Bjork - drums
  • Bob Balch - lead guitar
  • Brad Davis - bass guitar

Produced and mixed by Matt Hyde

Credits[]

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]

References[]

  1. ^ "California Crossing - Fu Manchu". AllMusic.
  2. ^ Lepage, Mark (8 Mar 2002). "Fu Manchu California Crossing (Mammoth)". Calgary Herald. p. D8.
  3. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Volume 3: MUZE. p. 628.CS1 maint: location (link)
  4. ^ "California Crossing". EW.com.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b "Fu Manchu : California Crossing". September 12, 2005.
  6. ^ Kemp, Rob (Jan 31, 2002). "California Crossing". Rolling Stone (888): 53.
  7. ^ Puckett, Daniel (24 Feb 2002). "Audio Files". St. Petersburg Times. p. 7F.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b Gundersen, Edna (12 Feb 2002). "Trail of Fu Manchu roams 'California'". USA Today. p. B12.
  9. ^ "Fu Manchu | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  10. ^ Knapfel, Jason (22 Nov 2001). "Fu Manchu up in smoke". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. p. 3E.
  11. ^ Donovan, Patrick (8 Feb 2002). "CD review: California Crossing, Fu Manchu". The Age. Entertainment Guide. p. 7.
  12. ^ Fox, Darrin (Feb 2002). "Fu Manchu: No shoes, no shirt, no fuzz". Guitar Player. 36 (2): 35–37.
  13. ^ Gonzales, Ron (1 Mar 2002). "Fu Manchu tweaks its tones". Albuquerque Journal. p. 13.
  14. ^ Condran, Ed (15 Feb 2002). "FU MANCHU ROCKS ON". The Record. Go!. p. 17.
  15. ^ "Fu Manchu California Crossing | Exclaim!". exclaim.ca.
  16. ^ "Reviews". CMJ New Music Report. CMJ Network, Inc. February 11, 2002 – via Google Books.
  17. ^ "Pop CD releases". the Guardian. February 1, 2002.
  18. ^ "FU MANCHU 'California Crossing' Mammoth". The Washington Post. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  19. ^ Sperounes, Sandra (8 July 2002). "'We're like, yeah, whatever': Slackers work up just enough energy to hit the road again". Edmonton Journal. p. B7.
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