''California Crossing'' is the seventh studio album by the American stoner rock band

Fu Manchu Dr. Fu Manchu ( zh, t=傅滿洲/福滿洲, p=Fú Mǎnzhōu) is a supervillain who was introduced in a series of novels by the English author Sax Rohmer beginning shortly before World War I and continuing for another forty years. The character f ...

It was released on October 23, 2001, by

Mammoth Records Mammoth Records was an independent record label founded in 1989 by Jay Faires in the Carrboro area of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The majority of the acts on Mammoth were executive-produced by Faires and the label's general manager, Steve Balco ...

Production

The album was produced by

Matt Hyde Matt Hyde (born June 19, 1964) is an American record producer, engineer and mixer. He has been credited as engineer, producer, mixer and/or mastering engineer on notable albums such as No Doubt's '' Tragic Kingdom'', Monster Magnet's '' Powert ...

, who encouraged Fu Manchu to spend more time on preproduction and song arrangements. 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.

Circle Jerks Circle Jerks (stylized as Ciʀcle JƎʀᴋs) are an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1979 in Los Angeles, California. The group was founded by former Black Flag (band), Black Flag vocalist Keith Morris and Redd Kross guitarist Greg Hetso ...

singer

Keith Morris Keith Morris (born September 18, 1955) is an American singer and songwriter known for his role as frontman of the hardcore punk bands Black Flag, Circle Jerks, and Off!. Born and raised in Hermosa Beach, California, he formed Black Flag at t ...

provides vocals on "Bultaco". Drummer

Brant Bjork Brant Bjork (born March 19, 1973) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the drummer and founder of the influential Californian stoner rock band Kyuss. Bjork has also been a member of Fu Manchu, Mo ...

departed the band after the recording of the album.

Critical reception

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

'' deemed the album "a strangely nihilistic celebration of all things

Cali Santiago de Cali (), or Cali, is the capital of the Valle del Cauca department, and the most populous city in southwest Colombia, with 2,280,522 residents estimate by National Administrative Department of Statistics, DANE in 2023. The city span ...

." ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...

'' wrote that Fu Manchu "are the stoned

Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band formed in the New York City neighborhood Forest Hills, Queens in 1974. Known for helping establish the punk movement in the United States and elsewhere, the Ramones are often recognized as one of th ...

, a matey Motorhead: a band who can rewrite that album into the infinite future and rule perpetually." ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' thought that "more than anything else, it's the band's cartoonish perspective that keeps ''Crossing'' from flagging." ''

USA Today ''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...

'' called the songs "rooted in mad propulsion, clean sonics and Scott Hill's atonal holler."

Track listing

Personnel

*Scott Hill – vocals, guitar *

– drums *Bob Balch – guitar *Brad Davis – bass *

– mixer, producer

Production

Vocals on "Bultaco" by

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.

Charts

References

{{Authority control 2001 albums Fu Manchu (band) albums Mammoth Records albums Albums produced by Matt Hyde Albums recorded at Sound City Studios