From oppression in eastern Europe to mainstream in North America, Czechoslovakia’s Uz Jsme Doma has traveled a long road to musical success.

Formed in 1985, Uz Jsme Doma (pronounced OOZH SMEH DOUGH-MA) fought for four years to be heard. Living in communist Czechoslovakia, the band’s western sounding music was considered antisocial and illegal.

The band played underground concerts when possible, while recording an album was an impossibility.

Four years later, in November of 1989, the Velvet Revolution brought an end to communism in Czechoslovakia. The band wasted little time exercising its right of free speech, hitting the studio six months later to record its debut album “In the Middle of Words.”

The group speaks about Czechoslovakia’s 41 years of cultural repression in the album’s opening track, “Amen.” Sung in Latin and Czech, the song speaks of hope in the midst of oppression.

Several lineup changes and four albums later, Uz Jsme Doma has successfully penetrated the U.S. music scene.

Achieving nationwide success with its latest release, “Fairy Tales from Needleland,” Uz Jsme Doma provides a much-needed culture shock for loyal MTV watchers and mainstream radio listeners across the States.

Uz Jsme Doma has since been featured in Rolling Stone, Option, New York, College Music Journal (CMJ), The Globe, Pacific Sun and many other music magazines.

The group will be the feature article in next month’s CMJ and will also be included on the free sampler CD that comes with every issue.

Uz Jsme Doma blends ska, punk and Slavik folk music to form a style foreign, yet appealing to American ears.

With fast-paced songs and a horn section, Uz Jsme Doma would seem to be a stereotypical ska band.

But to classify the sound as ska or punk would be to ignore some of the group’s essential musical elements.

Czech lyrics, surprising shifts in beat and Slavik folk rhythms keep listeners on their toes. The energetic change-ups in the songs leave ska fans screaming for more, separating true fans from bandwagoners.

Uz Jsme Doma will bring its Slavik, upbeat and crowd-pleasing style to The Maintenance Shop Sunday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $3 for students and $4 general admission.

Czech it out.