Almost uniquely in the world of stoner rock (and in rock & roll, period, for that matter) Fu Manchu have actually improved with age. While hardly altering their original, fuzzed-out, retro-minded formula, the So-Cal natives have gradually evolved -- Fu Manchu first stood out simply as one of the first groups to do what it does, and now deservingly stands out as one of the best at what it does. The reason for this unusual development is also a simple one: songs. Fu Manchu always rocked hard, but they didn't really start writing consistently good songs until 1997's breakout The Action Is Go, and after achieving a possible career-best effort via 2001's California Crossing, the band is once again in nearly top form with 2005's long-awaited Start the Machine. Invariably tight, immediate, and groovy, pulsing sonic hot rods like "Written in Stone," "Open Your Eyes," and "I Wanna Be" dominate an LP that was clearly meant to be heard on vinyl, not CD, and where no single track ever breaches the four-minute mark. As well as proving main man Scott Hill's innate facility at matching catchy riffs and hooks, these offerings suggest that the band's mid-career flirtations with space rock were probably instigated by then-drummer Brant Bjork (he of Kyuss fame). But that's not to say that Start the Machine is a one-dimensional album, as, breaking out of the basic flow, "I Can't Hear You" is a brash, one-minute punk rocker, "Make Them Believe" and "It's All the Same" splice AC/DC's bluesy boogie with Sabbath's grinding power chords, and "Out to Sea" goes mellow and instrumental to act as an intermission. Bottom line, Fu Manchu know their strengths and, having found their songwriting legs for good in the 2000s, have no intentions of veering into realms that would let down their fans -- or themselves. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia
Audio Mixer: Brian Joseph Dobbs.
Recording information: Rag Recording, San Pedro, CA; Track Records, North Hollywood, CA.
Editor: Danielle Burns.
Photographers: Mike Sage; Kevin Estrada.
Fu Manchu: Brad Davis (bass guitar, background vocals); Bob Balch, Scott Reeder (background vocals); Scott Hill.
Personnel: Fu Manchu (background vocals); Scott Hill (vocals, guitar); Bob Balch (guitar); Scott Reeder (drums); Brad Davis (Theremin).
It's a good effort but nothing is like the good old days... Some of the tracks are really good but nothing will ever be as they were, the glory days are over. This we already knew when we heard California Crossing. Still it's worth listening to, it grows better and better each time. Buy it and make your collection complete. Submitted by bengelito (Stockholm, Sweden) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Best CD so far? Fu Manchu´s latest CD is a mindblowing journey through 70´s rock and fuzzy stonerrock, maybe their strongst effort so far and that means pure quality.
WARNING!!
Don´t drive wile listening to this CD, you might lose your license. Submitted by produktion (JKPG, Sweden) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Not their best As others have mentioned, they've avoided the jammy parts in favor of a more pop approach and consequently the songs just aren't that good overall. "Written in Stone" is great and there are a few other decent tunes, but much of the album doesn't measure up to their better material. "Hey" reminds me of The Knack, and that's not a good thing... Submitted by Mike (NY, NY) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Too Short... Unfortunately Fu Manchu on this album have opted for shorter songs, cutting out the sometimes "spacey" jams and guitar bits which they are known for, and instead end up compacting each song into either two or three minutes. The trouble is as a result each song ends up sounding the same, albeit with different lyrics. At 35 minutes this album is just too short. Submitted by Al. (Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
It's a good effort but nothing is like the good old days...
Best CD so far?
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