Hollywood

Grace Potter and The Nocturnals takes the band’s namesake further into sultry-frontwoman territory – with growling bar-blues jams, a few run-throughs of Mother’s Finest-worthy funk-rock and some more tender country-tinged ballads that showcase Grace Potter’s ability to slowly soar to impressive high notes and hang out there for a while. The organ-playing singer and Nocturnals are skilled in careful historical musical recreation – looking the part of 1974 pretty impressively – but what will have the comfort of nostalgia for some listeners will sound like a million older things to others. Potter may very well morph into a superstar, but along the way she’s demonstrating that she can do belting Janis, fiery Melissa Etheridge, Stonesy Tina Turner, mellow Bonnie Raitt – she can even do a wounded-but-strong hot-country Shania Twain thing. Though she may be overselling herself in terms of versatility, Potter’s best when understated – but it could take a few more demonstrations of her range before she arrives there.