Craig Cortello is a cheerful alt-rock guy who called himself the “Canine Crooner” and does indeed fill this CD with songs about dogs. And if that sounds like a cue for a novelty album, guess again: Though mostly lighthearted, this set celebrates the good hearts and nobility of dogs. In other words, it’s an album of love songs.

Cortello’s vocal delivery is scruffy and good-natured—which makes it a perfect fit for this material, whether he’s singing from the human or canine perspective. The notes name Randy Newman’s “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” as a musical template, which sounds about right—there’s a bit of vintage They Might Be Giants in there too. Cortello plays a few rocking guitar solos and livens things up by using a jazz-based rhythm section, drummer Chris Guccione and Belinda Moody on standup bass. Craig Klein’s trombone adds the playful note to “Go Adopt a Puppy,” which brings out the implicit message of this album—his advocating for dogs who need homes (the locally-based Zeus Rescues is one of the album’s co-sponsors). “One Dog Too Many Walks the Streets with No Home” takes on the same subject in grittier terms; while “Let’s All Go to the Dog Park” and “The Woof Woof Bow Wow Song” promise good times if you bring one of those guys home.

Not everything is upbeat though: “I’m a Service Dog” is a rather poignant tune about a seeing eye’s devotion; and “The Rainbow Bridge Will Take You Away” is the inevitable song about saying goodbye to a pet. Some of these songs are in fact so sweet that they make you a little teary. Kind of like my dog.