Chicago’s own dirty pop boppers, Bird Talk, have released an EP that will keep you shaking your tail feathers all winter long. Although only four songs long, Crazy Mad is chock full of the upbeat, footloose and fancy free music that make Bird Talk’s sound one of a kind. Taking 50’s and 60’s pop music, surfer garage rock and adding some wild lyrics, the band has made every element in Crazy Mad sound like pure fun.

After locking themselves up in a Wisconsin cabin, Bird Talk meticulously tracked instruments and recorded vocals for Crazy Mad. What they produced is a more mature, fuller sounding version than originally heard in the live recorded songs on their first album No Bird Left Behind.

The EP opens with the “Crazy Mad”, a bubbly love song that makes full use of Motown bass lines and keyboards with a nice smattering of quick, simple drum and tambourine beats. Lead vocalist Melissa “Jumpy” Marquez comes into the song with her powerful alto voice sounding like a cross between Del Shannon and The Supremes. It doesn’t take long for the rest of the band to join her on vocals as they eagerly sing “’Cause you don’t know that I am crazy mad for sure! Oh no, it’s true, I’m crazy mad for you!”

“Number on the Wall”, shows off the 60’s surf-rock side of the band. The reverb on hollow sounding vocals is reminiscent of true surf rockers complete with two part harmony “Ooo waa ooo” from the rest of the band. Chimey guitars, simple bass lines and cymbal driven drums top off the short but sweet piece.

Fascinatingly named “Virgins vs. Babies” throws itself into a 60’s psychedelic mood opening with Emily Engelhard’s trippy keyboard arpeggios. It adds a chunky rock guitar and hard driving drum beats with the keys threaded throughout. The lyrics delve into Bird Talk’s apparent dilemma of which is more soothing to the palate, virgins or babies? Let’s hope they didn’t figure that one out.

Crazy Mad takes you through all that Jumpy, Engelhard, Anthony “Shimby” McCreery, and Jacco Kuipers love about music and shows you exactly what kind of dynamic can come from them. It takes aspects from some classic music of the past and adds new and unique twists making it all Bird Talk’s own. The EP definitely sounds as if band had a terrific time exploring what they could make of it. With a bright future in Chicago’s dirty pop scene, the sky is the limit for Bird Talk.

Buy Crazy Mad right now at Birdtalk.bandcamp.com for only $3!