The Lion the Beast the Beat

Metacritic, a website which assigns television, music, and film an average score based on several reviews, gave the album a 70 out of 100, indicating positive reviews. Review website Consequence of Sound stated that "Potter's vocals are gorgeous as always, but the overall tone of the Nocturnals has arguably changed — forgoing country for experimental rock, they’ve also successfully woven electronic influences into the mix".[2] The New York Times said that The Lion The Beast The Beat is "the fourth, and by far best, studio album by this band".[5] AllMusic, whilst calling the album overall a "creative leap" and Potter's melodies "solid", considered some of her lyric choices "...a bit clunky" and added that the band compensated with "passion, execution, and smart production choices and arrangements".[6]

Mickey Woods of Glamour magazine considered the album a mixed result, commenting "which I believe to be intentional". He also called the album "frenzied and scattered, but incredibly dynamic", complimenting the instruments and Potter's "totally electric" voice and compared her voice to Jefferson Airplane.[7] Review website PopMatters also gave the album a positive review, noting that Potter has the "vocal arsenal of a Greek God—part Joplin, part Boudica, all lethal weapon" and calling the album a "mischievously devilish quandary".[8] PremierGuitar.com also gave the album a positive review, complimenting several of the songs including the title track and the album a "collection of highly inspired songs to deliver a full range of foot-stompers, piercing hooks, and driving melody".[9]

All tracks are written by Grace Potter, except where noted.

Adapted credits from the booklet.[13]

The Nocturnals

• Grace Potter – vocals (all tracks), guitar (1, 11, 13), tambourine (1, 3, 4, 8, 11), keyboards (2-8, 13), Wurlitzer (6), Mellotron (2), synth bass (7), Hammond organ (1, 3, 9, 10, 14, 15), pipe organ (1), percussion (7), clock (5), drums (13)
• Scott Tournet – guitars (1-14), Echoplex (1, 7), keyboards (2, 5), bass guitar (6), lap steel guitar (3, 4), vocals (3, 6, 9, 11), loops (4), noise (5, 8), ambience (4, 10), drums (13)
• Benny Yurco – guitars (1-7, 10, 11, 13), synth bass (1), vocals (3, 6, 7, 11), sitar (6), Echoplex (3, 7), bass guitar (8, 9, 12, 13), ambience (10), noise (5, 11), drums (13)
• Matt Burr – drums (1-13), tambourine (1), vocals (3, 6, 7, 9, 11), percussion (7, 8, 13), trash cans (8), shaker (9)
• Michael Libramento – drums (1, 12), bass guitar (1, 2, 4, 5, 11), agogô bells (2), vocals (3, 9, 11), keyboards (9), tambourine (1, 9, 13), Moog bass (10)

Additional personnel

• Dan Auerbach – Casio drum loop (2), vocals & handclaps (6), producer
• Jim Scott – percussion (3), cowbell (12)
• David Campbell – string arrangements (1, 4, 10, 11)
• Geoffrey Weiss – claves (13)
• Larry Franklin – fiddle (14)
• Willie Nelson – vocals, gut-string guitar and trigger (15)
• Mickey Raphael – harmonica (15)
• John Barlow Jarvis – piano (14, 15)
• Kenny Greenberg – electric guitar (14, 15)
• Michael Rhodes – bass guitar (14, 15)
• Pat Buchanan – electric guitar (14, 15)
• Dan Dugmore – steel guitar (14, 15)
• Chad Cromwell – drums (14, 15)
• Kenny Chesney – backing vocals (14)
• Alison Krauss – backing vocals (14)