Fashion over Function

With an obvious nod to the mascara-eyed din of the Stooges, the New York Dolls, and classic T. Rex, this Portland, OR, quartet exuberantly kicks out glam punk-pop jams that recall the gender-bending bravado (and haberdashery) of their aforementioned heroes. Produced by the mysterious Glitter Twins, singer Shaun Sunholm commences the proceedings with a resounding howl that soon fades beneath the canned screech of teenage girls in "I Want a Stalker," effectively setting the table for the reckless retro abandon that follows. The rhythm section of lead guitarist Tim Eurich, bassist Joshua Griffith, and Jeremy Abbott on drums is simultaneously slick and sloppy, adhering to formulaic, altered blues riffs and crunchy power chords. The familiar hooks in the title track, along with humorous call-and-response choruses aplenty in "International Jet-Set" and "Trouble," add up to the fact that on Fashion Over Function, the Deadlines have rendered the perfect trashy, party-till-dawn record that seems to never go out of style.