Harmony-rich power-pop from 1979 and 1980

Power pop’s late-70s resurgence, particularly the commercial breakthrough of The Knack, spawned a lot of one- and two-album major label deals. This New York quartet issued two albums on Columbia: 1979’s eponymous debut and 1980’s Meet Their Makers, reissued here as a two-fer with a bare-bones four-panel insert and no bonus tracks. Unlike some of their better remembered peers, the Laughing Dogs didn’t have a singular sound. At turns their debut rings with Beatlesque pop, Huey Lewis bar rock, rockabilly fervor, bombastic arena rock and the mid-tempo balladry of Billy Joel and Boz Scaggs. Most of the tunes are washed in precise, multipart harmonies that bring to mind the Raspberries, Rubinoos and Utopia.

The band’s charms are amply displayed in the lead vocal harmonies of “Reason for Love,” and its lyric of undying dedication and drifting harmonica create a terrific summer vibe. Also memorable is the rocker “It’s Just the Truth,” opening with a drum beat that threatens “Come on Down to My Boat,” before launching into power chords and harmonies. The group’s punk associations are heard in the pop thrash of “I Need a Million” and the driving rhythm of “Get Outa My Way,” but the sophomore album smooths away the rough edges and indie spirit developed during the group’s CBGB days. The song list dips into cover versions for The Animals’ “Don’t Bring Me Down” and Dionne Warwick’s “Reach Out for Me.” The former suggests the direction Tom Petty would take with his later live cover, while the ;atter is neatly turned into power-pop with vocal harmonies and an urgent tempo.

The second album’s originals reach further from the jangling guitars of the debut, with a funky bottom line on the opening “Zombies,” a reggae-tinged rhythm under “Formal Letter,” and a bluesy charge to “What Ya Doin’ It For?” The polished productions lose some of the club cred of the debut but show the band to be a talented studio unit. Though neither album is truly a holy grail of power pop, the Laughing Dogs’ strong harmony singing and sophisticated arrangements stand out from the raw punk and commercial new wave of their peers. Pop fans will find some ear pleasing harmony and chime here, and those who lean to the progressive pop of Steely Dan and Utopia will find some pleasant surprises. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]