Wilson Phillips - California (CD)

All Music Guide

The members of Wilson Phillips have been through a lot in the twelve years since their last record came out. Marriages, kids, solo albums, televised operations and talk shows. Add to that the fact that the band pretty much broke up in 1993 and it is no surprise it took so long. California is a concept album of sorts. All the songs are about California or were recorded by quintessential California bands. The girl's voices sound better than ever, full of verve and California soul. Carnie, Wendy and Chynna each take two leads; the rest of the songs are group vocals. Part of the fun of California is hearing the girls tackle songs that their respective parents recorded thirtyplus years earlier. Chynna turns Monday, Monday into a charging rocker with none of the introspection of the original; it sounds like a GoGo's song if they had ever recorded with a full orchestra. The two Beach Boys songs are handled in very different ways, Dance Dance Dance is a tight rocker with loads of energy and so...me excellent farfisa work by Roger Manning, In My Room features Brian Wilson on piano and vocals and unsurprisingly has the best harmony vocals on the album. It may even bring a lump to your throat at the end when Brian exclaims loudly "That sounds great I love your sound" and the Wilson sisters sound truly moved in response. Knowing all they have been through it kinda gets you right there. The song is very simple and moving and points to a problem the rest of the record has, namely a bloodless, sterile feel that comes from the slick production and overly safe sound. The songs that work the best are the simplest like Monday Monday, the driving Doctor My Eyes and the very moody and restrained Go Your Own Way. Too often however the songs are sunk by overcooked arrangements. Producer Peter Asher goes for an ultramodern processed sound that makes it sound like the girls are merely singing updated karoke versions of the old hits. The cover of Linda Ronstadt's version of You're No Good is the worst offender with its very cheesy synth drums and the shredding guitar sounds, Turn Turn Turn Following close behind due to the very illconcieved techno flourishes and drum programming. Apart from the orchestral strings which add nice coloring here and there, the sounds on the album are very predictable and uninspired which is really too bad because the girls sound very committed and inspired. The choice of songs doesn't help create much excitement either. The liner notes even make reference to how safe the selections are by asking the whereabouts of songs by Harry Nilsson, Warren Zevon, the Turtles, Love, Johnny Rivers, Love and the MerryGoRound. Now no one in their right mind comes to a Wilson Phillips album expecting them to cover Arthur Lee or Emmit Rhodes songs but they could have strayed farther afield. That being said this is still a very pleasant album by three very good vocalists. That it could have been better doesn't detract from the fact that Wilson Phillips fans will be overjoyed at the return of the band. Fans of modern pop that isn't totally faceless and vacous might like it too. - Tim Sendra, All Music Guide Read more Less