The Hard Lessons - Wise Up!

Genre rock Publisher self-released External Links Official The Hard Lessons Website

The Detroit garage rock scene has received a great deal of attention since the mainstream success of The White Stripes. And though The Hard Lessons fall into the same genre, they are not merely riding on The White Stripes' coattails. The combined talents of guitarist/frontman Augie Visocchi, organist/vocalist Ko Ko Louise Cox and drummer Christophe Zajac-Denek make Wise Up! an energetic and fun EP that should be taken seriously despite the occasionally nonsensical lyrics.

"Bamboo" kicks the EP off with crunchy guitar riffs and some clever synth work. Visocchi and Cox balance their vocals well and their harmonies play into the girl-boy dynamic without becoming annoying or too saccharine. The song may have tinges of pop but the base of "Bamboo" is pure rock. Similarly, "Carey Says (Alright!)" has a chorus likely to induce fist pumping at live shows. For other bands, the Motown feel of Cox's work on the organ would sound dated and like nothing more than a gimmick, but with The Hard Lessons, the combination of Motown and garage rock comes together to create something unique and refreshing.

"It Bleeds" is a far more moody track that slows the breakneck speed with which the band plows through the EP. While it is completely different from the opening tracks, there is something beautiful about this song with its delicate vocals and harmonies. Lest one be worried that it is nothing more than a cheesy ballad, Visocchi includes a graceful guitar solo halfway through the track that keeps the song on the side of rock despite the slower tempo. Visocchi and Cox, again, know how to balance their vocals and one never gets the sense that the two are competing for the limelight.

"Move to California" demonstrates The Hard Lessons' versatility yet again with a shift from the Motown influence seen on "Carey Says (Alright!)" to a country-rock feel. Lamenting a significant other's move from the Midwest to California, the song might have a more somber subject matter than others on the EP might; yet, the track never slides into wallowing melancholy. The country influence is hard to miss but never becomes so prevalent as to turn away listeners that might not typically like the genre.

The only problem with Wise Up! is that it only clocks in at 15 minutes which will leave most listeners wanting a lot more based on the strengths of these five songs. The Detroit-based band has gained a strong following in Michigan and if they continue to record songs like those on their latest EP, it won't be long before word of The Hard Lessons reaches beyond the Midwest.

The Hard Lessons - "Carey Says (Alright)! Video