With a hybrid of funk and alternative rock style that is best described as the love child of Incubus and The Police, Sucka Brown brought the high energy of both bands to The Stein Thursday, as part of Student Activities' "Winter Week." Sucka Brown played a solid, 90-minute set, beginning with the lively "EASY," immediately grabbing student's attention. More mellow songs like "Fame and Money," maintained the full, relaxed audience at The Stein and the catchy "Look So Well" ended the show with a tune the audience didn't mind having stuck in its head. Their sound incorporates loud rock anthems, the twangy funk vibrato chords of late 70s rock and variations in rhythm and abrupt changes in tempo. Songs like "Chainsaw Tweezer Farm" showed off guitarist Todd Denman's smooth finger work while bassist Scott Sowden held down the rhythm that gives the band its most distinctive sound. Brendan Hall's vocals-which recalled the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Anthony Kiedis-and Matt Slowik's percussion kept the energy up throughout, reaching a high point with the erratic melody of "Wait."

Lead singer Brendan Hall said one of the biggest challenges of playing in the Boston area is attracting an audience. He said the band has played everywhere from raging frat parties to empty cafeterias, but if the crowd at Brandeis is any indication, once they're out, few can keep from head-nodding, foot-tapping, and seat-swaying to Sucka Brown's groovy melodies.

the band has toured from "the tippy top of Maine to Washington, D.C.," hitting around 60 college campuses, and only recently signed to the indie label RoHo Records for its first full-length album, Extra Medium. Hall said all four members of the band carry songwriting duties and credits Sucka Brown's musical influence to bands like The Police, Talking Heads, Incubus, Modest Mouse and INXS.

As a second album approaches release in April, Hall hopes for word to spread on the band. He said they've watched friends from other local bands sign to major labels: "We just saw The Slip in Rolling Stone the other day," and would like to be in "quit-your-day-job" mode soon, as well. It's an unsurprising goal, given lyrics like: "And who would you be/ Another carbon copy, cookie cut/Khaki and Blue and revolution/On your way to becoming a middle mutt/And what would you pay/To ascend the ladder bourgeoisie/Call it a plan contribution/Secretly we're calling it bribery."

Before and after the show, band members were approachable and friendly, handing out band stickers and encouraging students to sign up for their mailing list. All in their mid-20s, they seemed to thrive in a college setting. Well-known for its status as a college town, Boston seems to suit the band.

"We love playing at colleges because of the energy and atmosphere that you find on college campuses, and these shows have been instrumental in building our fan base," Hall said. "There's usually no alcohol at college shows, so they tend to be a little tamer, but then you know people are actually listening and will remember your music."

Sucka Brown will play at Boston's Paradise Rock Club on Friday, Jan. 26.