courtesy of thehardlessons.com

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It's early on a Tuesday afternoon and the Hard Lessons are driving through Mississippi.

The band has a show in Louisiana in the evening, but guitarist Augie Visocchi isn't thinking about that.

Visocchi also isn't paying much mind to his band being named 2006 "Artists of the Year" by Real Detroit Weekly or a reporter's questions.

"Dude, I'm so distracted talking to you right now," he said. "It's total destruction down here still. It's really weird. There are gas stations, and all that's left is the sign."

The effects of Hurricane Katrina remain evident through parts of Mississippi, and it's making it tough for Visocchi to concentrate, so we'll break it down.

Together since 2003, the Hard Lessons band has built a reputation on a rocking live show, which hits Tucson Thursday at Vaudeville Cabaret. The band has duel vocalists, Visocchi and keyboardist Korin Louise, and a deceptively small drummer, Christophe Zajac-Denek, who propels the group. Its recent EP, "Wise Up," splices jukebox classic rock with organ-infused pop.

"Move to California" off "Wise Up" sees Visocchi and Louise trading vocals in a musical conversation about missed opportunities. The driving tune's upbeat, barroom melody illustrates Visocchi's regrets over Louise moving away. You've heard far worse songs on the radio.

Visocchi says he's frustrated at the noise that makes it onto the radio, which often overlooks local music treasures. The Internet is a good way for someone in the middle of nowhere to access music, he says, but he worries that online opinions have become too concentrated.

He said that no one Web site should wield as much power as Pitchforkmedia.com,

"A good review and you're set, and a bad review and you're done for," he said.

The Hard Lessons band is not on a label, and a search on Pitchfork yielded no reviews.

But you don't get named "Artists of the Year" in a music-rich city like Detroit by making nice with labels and preening for the press.

"We're old-fashioned. We get out there and work our asses off touring," Visocchi said. "I'm sick as a dog right now. Here we are out on the road doing eight-, 10- hour drives. We just played Fairhope, Ala., last night, a city I guarantee you no other band you talk to has ever played."

Though the band prides itself on work and energetic performances with no prepared set lists, it's still quick to divert attention when asked why a Tucsonan should come to see the Hard Lessons.

"Aside from the fact that the Beta Sweat's great?" Visocchi asked.