A year ago, while stressed-out from studying, I wandered into Espresso Royale. A local band had just started playing at the back of the shop. I was too busy and lost in my own thoughts to stick around so I ordered my coffee "to go." But then, while waiting, I started listening.

Amplified acoustic guitars, subtle lead guitar effects, cello, vocals that shifted from a male lead with female back-up to vice-versa to unison to four-part harmony this was not just a slipshod group thrown together for an open mic night, these were a bunch of well-practiced, talented and innovative musicians.

Their skill as songwriters was evident in the complex yet accessible structure of their tunes. They soared out of instrumental intros into verses and choruses of refreshing chord progressions, tempo changes and dynamics that supported the imagery and emotion of their songs. Their lyrics were a balm for my tired soul. I sat down and opened my ears and my mind and my heart and they lifted me up out of my dark moods. Their name: Love Lies Dreaming.

The magic behind LLD"s music is that every song presents familiar and personal themes for the audience to relate to while enjoying an original and fresh aural environment. One hears traces of classic rock in their sound, especially The Doors and Simon and Garfunkle, as well as more modern influences like The Indigo Girls. But what they have is unique. Their melodies are intoxicating you find yourself humming them sometimes two or three days after attending a concert.

And the members of the group are completely unassuming. One can see wonder in their eyes as they smile through each performance, humbled by the music that their combined creativity has made possible.

The band has come a long way. During that first show, it was apparent that their music was still very new to them and that they were still exploring the directions their collective talents could take them. Nevertheless, it was easy to overlook minor timing errors and level imbalances because their concert was so novel.

Since then, the band has focused their ideas, fleshed out their instrumentation, polished the rough-edges of their performance and developed their sound into a mature harmony that strongly deserves radio time alongside the top independent and pop-rock groups on the air today. They have spent the last nine months in the studio putting together their first full-length album, titled Phoenix. It includes songs that they have regularly performed, like the contemplative "Water," the rock-out "Don"t You Know" and the Spanish ballad "Starry Night," as well as new songs like "Venus" and "Through the Dark."

Their next free concert is this Saturday, at 9 p.m., again at Espresso Royale on State Street. If you"re interested in new, meaningful music, you should check it out. You will enjoy it.

For more information about this band log on to www.loveliesdreaming.com.