As the first musical collaboration between
Carnie and
Wendy Wilson and their father
Brian,
The Wilsons promised great things. Unfortunately, the album doesn't quite deliver. Instead of relying on the pure pop genius of
Brian at his best, the album sounds similar to
Wilson Phillips -- it's clean, simple, synthesized adult contemporary. This is particularly true of the tracks that feature just
Carnie and
Wendy, but even the four cuts featuring
Brian have a stylized sheen that doesn't quite fit with his aging vocals. Nevertheless, there's a certain thrill in hearing him harmonize with his daughters, and the music is quite pleasant. The probelm is,
Brian's co-written songs -- "Everything I Need" (written with Tony Asher) and "Miracle" (written with
Carnie and
Wendy) -- don't sound remarkably different from the material surrounding it. The songs aren't bad, they're just not distinctive, and that is ultimately the greatest failing of
The Wilsons -- it could have been special, but it turned out ordinary. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine