There must have been one hell of a party at The Derby in Hollywood last August during the recording of Lee Press-On & The Nails' latest CD, Playing Dirty. LPN's second release this year (following Swing Is Dead) and their second live recording (after 1998's Live at the Hi-Ball), Dirty continues in LPN's gothic-swing tradition—but something is different. The musician shakeup of two years ago that left the band's continuance in question actually proved a good move. The Nails of the new millennium are more mature, both lyrically and musically. Lee Press-On & the Nails is now more dancer-and listener-friendly, while at the same time retaining their playful wackiness.

Playing Dirty relies on mostly new songs and works off of Swing Is Dead, where Lee refined his lyric writing with the brilliant "Hat Back Boogie" and "That Only Happens in the Movies." The latest album keeps up the band's spooky reputation with songs like "Devil Drums," the Raymond Scott/Cab Calloway tune "Ghost of Smokey Joe," and the cowpoke classic "Ghostriders in the Sky." But the new and improved LPN, while keeping true to their dark side, also are not afraid to get a little goofy on "Cocktails for Two," a ditty that would make Spike Jones proud, and Elvis Costello's "Wave A White Flag." Which only goes to show, Goth kids like to cut loose too.

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