Take three parts marching band, one part psychedelic prog-rock band, two parts Mothers of Invention, one part Spike Jones, a sprinkling of They Might Be Giants and a dash of P.D.Q. Bach, shake liberally, and you’ll have a glimmer of the weirdness that is Mucca Pazza. Billed as “Revenge of the Band Nerds,” this ensemble that meets to rehearse weekly in a parking lot in the old industrial part of Chicago has recorded its debut CD, Safety Fifth. It is definitely the most original of the many eclectic recordings I have reviewed in many a year.

“We’re a marching band that thinks we’re a rock band,” says sousaphone player Mark Messing in the one-pager accompanying the release.

That becomes immediately apparent on the opening number “Boss Taurus,” a hard-driving heavy rocker played by this talented and well-rehearsed marching band, all horns and drums and woodwinds with some excursions into psychedelic guitar freak-outs. But it’s not all just hard blowing horns and ‘winds and blazing drum sections with the occasional guitar thrown in. No, Mucca Pazza is a diverse and inclusive project that includes a “freak section” of mandolin, violin and accordion in addition to guitar, plus some unusual percussion, and of course some cheerleaders, though I’m darned if I can hear them on this record. And their repertoir veers somewhat from standard marching-band fare, such as the swampy “Monster Tango,” which is heavy on saxophones and movie-soundtrack-style electric guitar; or the klezmer march “Rabbits and Trees.” And then there’s “Sexy Bull,” a Mediterranean melody introduced by surf guitar and baritone sax with bongos providing the rhythm, and “Marcia Anormale,” an actual march with the intro played as a duet for tuba and bari sax with glockenspiel accompaniment. Don’t neglect “Hang ‘Em Where I Can See ‘Em,” a lovingly off-kilter homage to the spaghetti-Western music of Ennio Morricone, or “Maui Waui 5-0,” a psychedelic tribute to Hawaii and old TV detective shows. “Last Days” starts as a shambling musette-style waltz on which trumpet, mandolin and accordion take turns with the melody, backed by manic percussion and honking brass. Then it turns into a Titanic-like scene with the marching band playing on as the apocalypse comes down. “Tube Sock Tango” is a fairly straight piece, a lightly orchestrated tango with some beautiful brass section harmonies. “Sunday Showing, Part 1? and “Coolashell” are both impressive percussion interludes, and the final track, “Fanfare,” a lovely and moving orchestral fanfare — with, OK, some syncopation, unorthodox instrumentation and a rocking moment or two — but no Zappaesque diminished chords or anything!

I know I’m not the only former band nerd who is going to like this stuff. So indulge your inner geek and slip over to Mucca Pazza’s website, where you can listen to some tracks and watch some videos and check out their tour schedule.