{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}} {{Infobox album | name = California Crossing | type = studio | artist = Fu Manchu | cover = California Crossing (album cover).jpg | alt = | released = {{start date|2001|10|23}}<br />January 17, 2002 <small>(Japan)</small> | recorded = | venue = | studio = Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California | genre = Stoner rock | length = 39:27 | label = Mammoth | producer = Matt Hyde | prev_title = King of the Road | prev_year = 2000 | next_title = Go for It... Live! | next_year = 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/fu-manchu-mn0000988529/biography|title=Fu Manchu &#124; Biography & History|website=AllMusic}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Knapfel |first1=Jason |title=Fu Manchu up in smoke |work=South Florida Sun-Sentinel |date=November 22, 2001 |page=3E}}</ref>

==Production== The album was produced by Matt Hyde, who encouraged Fu Manchu to spend more time on preproduction and song arrangements.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Donovan |first1=Patrick |title=CD review: California Crossing, Fu Manchu |work=The Age |date=February 8, 2002 |location=Entertainment Guide |page=7}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Fox |first1=Darrin |title=Fu Manchu: No shoes, no shirt, no fuzz |journal=Guitar Player |date=Feb 2002 |volume=36 |issue=2 |pages=35–37}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gonzales |first1=Ron |title=Fu Manchu tweaks its tones |work=Albuquerque Journal |date=March 1, 2002 |page=13}}</ref><ref name="TR">{{cite news |last1=Condran |first1=Ed |title=FU MANCHU ROCKS ON |work=The Record |date=February 15, 2002 |location=Go! |page=17}}</ref> Circle Jerks singer Keith Morris provides vocals on "Bultaco".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/fu_manchu-california_crossing|title=Fu Manchu California Crossing &#124; Exclaim!|website=exclaim.ca}}</ref>

Drummer Brant Bjork departed the band after the recording of the album.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y7cms1PnqKUC&pg=PT10|title=Reviews|work=CMJ New Music Report|date=February 11, 2002|publisher=CMJ Network, Inc.|via=Google Books}}</ref>

==Critical reception== {{Album ratings |rev1 = AllMusic |rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/california-crossing-mw0000015046|title=California Crossing Review|first=Craig|last=Curtice|website=AllMusic|access-date=May 25, 2023}}</ref> |rev2 = ''Calgary Herald'' |rev2score = {{rating|2.5|4}}<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lepage |first1=Mark |title=Fu Manchu California Crossing (Mammoth) |work=Calgary Herald |date=March 8, 2002 |page=D8}}</ref> |rev3 = ''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' |rev3score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref name="CL">{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2006 |publisher=MUZE |volume=3 |page=628}}</ref> |rev4 = ''Entertainment Weekly'' |rev4score = C<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ew.com/article/2002/02/15/california-crossing/|title=California Crossing|website=EW.com}}</ref> |rev5 = ''NME'' |rev5score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="NME">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews-nme-6049-334471|title=Fu Manchu : California Crossing|website=NME|first=Noel|last=Gardner|date=September 12, 2005|access-date=May 25, 2023}}</ref> |rev6 = ''Rolling Stone'' |rev6score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Kemp |first1=Rob |title=California Crossing |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=January 31, 2002 |issue=888 |page=53}}</ref> |rev7 = ''St. Petersburg Times'' |rev7score = A<ref>{{cite news |last1=Puckett |first1=Daniel |title=Audio Files |work=St. Petersburg Times |date=February 24, 2002 |page=7F}}</ref> |rev8 = ''USA Today'' |rev8score = {{rating|2.5|4}}<ref name="UT">{{cite news |last1=Gundersen |first1=Edna |title=Trail of Fu Manchu roams 'California' |work=USA Today |date=February 12, 2002 |page=B12}}</ref> }} ''The Guardian'' deemed the album "a strangely nihilistic celebration of all things Cali."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2002/feb/01/shopping.artsfeatures2|title=Pop CD releases|date=February 1, 2002|website=the Guardian}}</ref> ''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."<ref name="NME"/> ''The Washington Post'' thought that "more than anything else, it's the band's cartoonish perspective that keeps ''Crossing'' from flagging."<ref>{{cite news |title=FU MANCHU 'California Crossing' Mammoth |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2002/02/22/fu-manchu-california-crossing/016591f0-3c77-4883-9634-4145c22215e8/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=June 29, 2021}}</ref> ''USA Today'' called the songs "rooted in mad propulsion, clean sonics and Scott Hill's atonal holler."<ref name=UT/>

==Track listing== {{tracklist | title1 = Separate Kingdom | length1 = 3:41 | title2 = Hang On | length2 = 3:39 | title3 = Mongoose | length3 = 4:10 | title4 = Thinkin' Out Loud | length4 = 3:27 | title5 = California Crossing | length5 = 3:36 | title6 = Wiz Kid | length6 = 3:51 | title7 = Squash That Fly | length7 = 2:56 | title8 = Ampn{{'-}} | length8 = 3:35 | title9 = Bultaco | length9 = 3:11 | title10 = Downtown in Dogtown | length10 = 3:18 | title11 = The Wasteoid | note11 = instrumental | length11 = 3:52 }}

{{tracklist| | headline = Japanese edition bonus track | title12 = Planet of the Ape Hangers | length12 = 3:50 }}

== Personnel == *Scott Hill – vocals, guitar *Brant Bjork – drums *Bob Balch – guitar *Brad Davis – bass *Matt Hyde – mixer, producer

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

All songs written by Fu Manchu, except "California Crossing", lyrics by Rodney Skelton.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sperounes |first1=Sandra |title='We're like, yeah, whatever': Slackers work up just enough energy to hit the road again |work=Edmonton Journal |date=July 8, 2002 |page=B7}}</ref>

==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col"| Chart (2001) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row"| Australian Albums (ARIA Charts)<ref name="ARIA">{{cite Ryan|page=109}}</ref> | 98 |}

==References== {{reflist}}

{{Fu Manchu (band)}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2001 albums Category:Fu Manchu (band) albums Category:Mammoth Records albums Category:Albums produced by Matt Hyde Category:Albums recorded at Sound City Studios