Garage & folk join in wide-ranging band

The old adage "œlocation is everything" is true for more than real estate. Even for a songwriter, a change of location can correlate with a change of sound. But the music of San Francisco's Leopold and His Fiction   "“ who play Casa Cantina Friday night "“ is rooted in scenery swaps.

Helmed by Detroit native Daniel James (guitars, vocals) and rounded out by players from Nevada City, the trio mixes Motor City garage-rock riffs with California folk a la Devendra Barnhart (not to mention Black Keys-esque vocals and the dark mystery of the Doors). According to James, the songwriting efforts behind Leopold and His Fiction thrive as the band travels on tour.

"The more we're on the road, the more songs get written," said James. "We go to places we've never been before, and it changes the way we see the world. Our sound isn't this place or that place, really "“ it's a lot of different towns."

Considering the band's attitude toward traveling, the recording methods behind Leopold and His Fiction's most recent album "“ January's "Ain't No Surprise" "“ seems appropriate. The soulful, blues-tinged narratives featured on the album were recorded not in a studio, but in a mish-mash of locations including after-hours at a historic San Francisco opera house.

"Any place that I could find a moment to record, I did," said James. "We weren't just sitting around in a studio and forcing it to come out "“ the recording of each song had to feel inspired."

As diverse a sound that the alternative recording method produced, Leopold and His Fiction found themselves back in a traditional studio for their upcoming record, to be released early 2010. The band worked with Thom Monahan, longtime Pernice Brothers and Vetiver producer, to create what James calls particularly powerful songs full of dynamic vocals.

"Thom found us and we found him at same time, and it's been the most intriguing recording experience we've been a part of," said James. "He brings things out of us that we knew were there but didn't quite know how to reach."

Regardless of where the band's sound is headed, it's obvious that Leopold and His Fiction have made profound strides musically in the last couple years since coming together in its current lineup. The addition of drummer Jon Cortland and bassist Micayla Grace has taken Leopold and His Fiction to a fuller vintage rock sound. "On stage it's a show now - it's not just someone playing guitar and telling a story," said James.

James and co. will bring that show, in all its blues-tinged splendor, to Casa Friday at 10 p.m. Playing alongside Leopold and his Fiction will be local contemporaries Wheels on Fire and Southeast Engine's Jesse Remnant (and his Trainwrecks).