Leopold and His Fiction form a melting pot infused with countless rock styles that create a sound filled with raw emotion and pure rock energy. The band hails from San Francisco and consists of Ben Cook on drums and Daniel Toccalino on guitar, bass, and vocals. These San Franciscans wield an arsenal of sounds ranging from the blues, boogie, country, and little Lynyrd Skynyrd mixed with The Strokes. The album opens with “She Ain’t got Time.” An old timey blues number with howling early seventy’s vocals about a lost love accented by fuzzy dirty guitar sounds. Next up on tap is the “Shakey Mama Blues.” The track’s title gives a small insight into the songs. It reminds one of a night at their favorite watering hole or juke joint and at some point that night, out of the corner of their eyes, they notice a lady shaking and moving on the dance floor out. Song number four “Be Still” brings back visions of The Strokes with a galloping drumbeat moving to an upbeat and retro guitar riff. As the album continues to roll “Gonna Be Your Boy” should catch the listener’s ear. It features a delta blues beat harmonized with a slide guitar and takes this listener to a date with a special someone through poetic lyrics. “Miss Manipulation” projects the opposite side of love by using yearning slide guitar with lyrics that tell a story of heartbreak. After this piece the next three tracks fail to change style and feel like a stagnant body of water that doesn’t move a ship one way or another. But the listener quickly leaves the doldrums on the final track “Out On the Road.” This song exemplifies a band with an uncertain future, broken down blues and unlimited potential.
