Method and apparatus for mutably associating logical block addresses to physical blocks. A physical storage space is apportioned into one or more bands. A logical block address (LBA) from a logical space is assigned to one of the bands, and the LBA is mutably associated with a particular physical block (sector) at an associated physical block address (PBA) within the assigned band. Such mutable association preferably includes the writing of user data associated with the LBA to the associated physical sector. During a subsequent operation, user data associated with the LBA can be stored in a second physical sector in the assigned band. The physical storage space preferably comprises a magnetic recording medium, and some or all of the bands preferably utilize overlapping tracks. The logical space is preferably divided into sets of sequential LBAs, with non-adjacent sets assigned to the same band. Map data are used to track sector allocation status in each band.