Grace Potter's appeal is easy to suss: She's got a big sultry croon that drips passion, plus a broad-minded approach. She's labored in adult contemporary and jam rock circles, but they hardly circumscribe her talents. Any doubt was erased with Potter's latest, The Lion The Beast The Beat. This ambitious, Dan Auerbach-assisted album steps beyond the more predictable elements, adding greater depth and nuance (with a dash of prog indulgence). It rocks less consistently but with greater intensity. Potter's always had the voice; now she's discovering how best to use it. With The Wood Brothers, Rayland Baxter. —Chris Parker