Street Level Doppler: un-dwelling acoustic music

Street Level Doppler may just have the coolest name of any band from the Champaign-Urbana area.

The band's debut EP, Taking Some Time, will be coming out during the Boneyard Arts Festival this weekend, and they will be holding a record release show at The Iron Post on Saturday to commemorate the release.

I really found myself enjoying this record more than I thought I would. Reading any description of them doesn't really explain it well (except for mine, of course). While their acoustic-based music doesn't seem to have a whole lot to say, it's still enjoyable. Street Level Doppler have been doing acoustic covers for a long time, yet this is their first time releasing original material.

Their sound kind of reminds me of the Weed Street Band, a now-defunct Chicago group that employed some of the same aspects. And if it was going to be compared to anybody more well-known, I would say James Taylor, but even that doesn't give a good idea. It's just...strummy.

It's breezy yet not sappy, and the melodies are strong and rooted in the best pop out there. And the lyrics are just kind of there; nothing to write home about, but they add texture.

And maybe the thing about it that attracts me to it the most would be that it's upbeat. I hear way too many bands and singers who think that acoustic music is an excuse to slow it down and whine about problems.

Not these guys. They seem to be taking it in stride, and Taking Some Time benefits from that.

Street Level Doppler will be playing their CD release show Saturday at The Iron Post, 120 S. Race St., Urbana, Cover is $5 and the first 50 people in the door will get a free copy of the CD.