Grace Potter & the Nocturnals

In late 2011, singer-guitarist Grace Potter and her band the Nocturnals had started to work on a new album, The Lion The Beast The Beat, when Black Keys singer-guitarist Dan Auerbach invited them to do some recording at his Nashville studio. Initially, Potter turned him down, because she didn't have any plans to be in Nashville. But after she was nominated for a Country Music Award for a song she did with Kenny Chesney, she figured she could fit a trip to his studio into her schedule. That turned out to be the right decision, as several of the songs she worked on with Auerbach ended up making it onto the disc. The album represents Potter at her best, as the music alternates from classic rock-inspired dirges like "Timekeeper" to country-ish ballads such as "Never Go Back." On tracks such as "Loneliest Soul" and "Turntable," Potter channels her inner Janis Joplin and really wails. She put on a helluva show late last year at House of Blues where she played to a sold out crowd. Expect similar results this time around. (Niesel)