Dan's Papers - August 1, 2008

After nearly three years in Ireland - and three top 30 hits there - local band Suddyn has returned home to Montauk, and hopes to take their music to the next level in America.

So far, brothers Alan and Jarrett Steil, who grew up in Montauk and whose parents own the Montauk Bake Shoppe, have been enjoying the summer on the East End. But as they talk to record labels, they're also preparing for their homecoming show at Stephen Talkhouse on Monday, August 4 at 10 p.m.

The brothers moved to Ireland after several years pursuing music in New York City. "When you grow up in Montauk, you meet a lot of Irish people. So we had a lot of friends there," said Alan Steil. "And in New York City there were so many distractions. When we moved to Ireland, it became all about the music. We went from an alright band to a pretty good band."

They went to Ireland with the intention of playing a few shows, then coming back home. With Alan Steil on vocals and keys and Jarrett Steil on guitar and vocals, they originally had an American bassist and drummer. Those two eventually left the band though, and two hometown friends from Tipperary, Ireland - Collin O'Dwyer (bass) and Bren Connolly (drums) - joined forces with the Steil brothers.

Despite having two Americans in the band, Suddyn's brand of alternative rock has a decidedly Brit rock sound, with textured emotional intensity, soaring melodies and an anthemic quality to their songs - think early Radiohead or Muse. As an unsigned band, their first single, "Drowning Souls," spent two weeks in the top 10 Irish chart. Their next single, "Gravity," spent time in the Top 20, as did their last single, "Letting Go," which was just released in April. Their songs were on heavy rotation on Irish radio, including the country's biggest station, 2FM. Suddyn also was featured by NME (a well-known British rock band) as one of their Top 20 breaking bands, on Record of the Day and by HitQuarters Artist of the Week.

But without a label, and in a country as small as Ireland, Suddyn knew it could only make it so far. "Ireland has such a small circuit," said Alan Steil. "And there's only one type of rock music. Here, there's everything. No matter what kind of music you play, there's an audience for everything. [Ireland's] so small. There's just one little scene. And everyone's a musician it seems."

He added, "We did really well there, but there was a point where we couldn't go any further. Hopefully, we won't have to go back. You have to cut loose at some point, before it's too late."

The band had to decide whether to make the move to England or America to further their music career. "It came down to, what's the best option for us? Where would we be accepted the most?" said Steil.

Ultimately, they decided America is the next best step for them. Already, "Letting Go" has been getting radio play at various stations around the country. The band has performed at Mercury Lounge in New York City and they have another show in the city planned for the fall. They are also in talks with one of the largest independent record labels in the country. Their goal is to get signed as soon as possible so they can record and release a full-length album. "If we could do it on our own, we would," Steil said. "But everything costs money. Recording an album is extremely expensive." However, Steil remains positive that Suddyn will find itself a home at a label within just a few months.

For more information, go to suddyn.com or myspace.com/suddyn. Tickets for Suddyn's August 4 show at Stephen Talkhouse are $10 and can be purchased at the door or at www.stephentalkhouse.com.

If you're a band or musician interested in being featured in our new music column, email tiffany@danspapers.com.