Throw your panties on the stage, because this weekend marks both the MadHatters final public performances of the semester and the release of their latest CD.

The University of Wisconsin’s men’s a cappella group, the MadHatters, have been thrilling audiences since their 1997 debut. From early, small performances to triumphant sold-out shows at the Orpheum Theatre, the MadHatters have enjoyed continued success with each new generation. They were chosen, along with the all-girls Tangled Up In Blue, to appear on the 2002 Best of College A Cappella CD. The following year they toured the East Coast, including New York City and Harvard University, before turning their attention west for a 2004 tour that included Denver, Las Vegas, San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

An assortment of classic and modern pop tunes, alongside two MadHatters original compositions, grace their third and latest CD, Friday After Class. The selections showcase the talent that has kept them in demand around the country and hints at the charm and good nature that has helped them capture the much coveted dorm-room and sorority-house market.

Casual listeners will be amazed at the MadHatters’ ability to imitate a range of pop styles. A wide selection of music, from Rascal Flatts’ “Prayin’ for Daylight” to the Drifters’ “Up On the Roof” proves that these talented boys possess a keen ear for subtlety and good understanding of the nuances of pop music. They belt out lyrics and melodies with the best of them, sometimes better than the original artists.

At times the imitation is uncanny, as in their version of Sister Hazel’s “All For You” or James Taylor’s arrangement of “How Sweet It Is,” where it is possible to hear the sound of Taylor’s resurrected career.

Despite the talent of frontmen, an a cappella group lives and dies by its ability to recreate instrumental music. With such a wide selection of songs, it would be understandable if the MadHatters missed a step here and there. Yet they rise to the occasion each and every time, reproducing with startling accuracy complex instrumental sounds.

Particularly impressive is their rendition of U2’s “Where the Streets Have No Name,” a complicated and difficult piece for any a cappella group. The MadHatters do an extraordinary job recreating the bevy of synthesizers, guitars, drums and numerous pre-recorded samples employed by Bono and the boys.

The complicated synthesized sounds return in “Britney,” a medley of the white-trash princess of pop’s best and most-well-recognized songs. The medley, a tongue-in-cheek chronicle of Britney’s evolution from schoolgirl to trailer-girl-next-door, features parts of “… Baby One More Time,” “Not Yet a Woman” and “Toxic.”

Critics of a cappella music argue that the genre lacks originality, eschewing new compositions in favor of re-creation. As if to counter the argument, the MadHatters contribute two original songs, “Escape” and “I Remember,” to Friday After Class.

While both tell the tale of love gone astray, they do so in remarkably different ways. “I Remember” is an understated exploration of the tricks emotions play on the mind. Both in sound and in word, it follows a subdued line of thought, as if to highlight how fond remembrance can, insidiously, become the poison that clouds a heartbroken mind.

Joining the chorus of broken hearts is “Escape,” a wrenching and painful cry of the recently dumped. Only instead of crying out for a change in the situation, it cries out for pure deception. Dark emotion colors the song, where the brokenhearted prefers lies to the truth of no longer having his beloved. Yesterday’s lies preferred over tomorrow’s reality.

Breaking from the typical a cappella selections, the MadHatters finish the CD with “Ave Maria,” a lifting and spiritually moving arrangement of the Schubert masterpiece. A stark contrast to the rest of the album, here the MadHatters show off the range and strength of their voices in a more traditional choral arrangement.

Friday After Class is a wonderful album, an excellent choice of pieces from one of Madison’s most beloved musical groups. It highlights their extraordinary talents and hints at the tremendous charm that the group exudes.

No doubt many of the selections from Friday After Class will be performed as the MadHatters take the stage this weekend. The Friday night show features Tangled Up In Blue and the co-ed group Redefined. Rip Chords, from the University of Illinois, joins the MadHatters for their Saturday night show. Both shows begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Orpheum Theatre. Tickets are $7 for students and $10 for adults.

While you’re at the concert, pick up a CD. They will be on sale at both shows.