The Wilsons: The Wilsons

With Chynna Phillips having gone off to achieve greatness somewhere else, Carnie Wilson's talk show canceled, and Wendy Wilson not terribly busy, the Wilson sisters recruited father Brian to contribute to a new collection of songs. The opening and closing tracks of this surprisingly not-terrible family gathering are the strongest: The catchy opener, "Monday Without You," benefits from the writing hand of Carole King, while the closing track, "Everything I Need," is notable for reuniting Pet Sounds writing partners Brian Wilson and Tony Asher. Not coincidentally, those highlights are two of only four tracks to feature the Wilson patriarch, whose contributions—aside from a couple of co-production credits—are almost entirely confined to backing vocals. The remainder of the album is predictable, competent, bland pop with some nods to contemporary music, including some of the most timid record-scratching you'll ever hear. Except for the predictably painful "Goddess' Revival," The Wilsons does no harm. Beach Boys completists will be intrigued, and Lite Rock radio will put it to good use, but it hardly marks a bold step forward for pop music.