The Deadlines

Item: Fashion Over Function
Author: Tom Bastian

Fashion Over Function

(2001)

Reviewed by Tom Bastian

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Label Tooth & Nail RecordsDecapolisFebruary 2002

garage rock punk rock rockabilly

This is the Deadlines' sophomore release and follow-up to their first Tooth and Nail release "The Death and Life Of..." The band was founded in 1998 and is currently based out of Portland Oregon. "Fashion over Function" was recorded at Supernatural Sound in Oregon City by the Glitter Twins.

The press sheet that came with this release said, "the boys decided to shift gears, dropping the horror-core schtick, making the new focus more about the songs and less about the gimmick". I would have to say by looking at the CD layout, the pictures on their website and listening to this album that all the band has done is dropped one schtick and moved onto another. Having heard both their first Tooth and Nail release and now this one I have to say that the music has not really matured much.

Dropping what was a horror rock gimmick and picking up a more New York Dolls meets the Rolling Stones style (at least fashion wise) the Deadlines offer us an album that's sloppy, boring and just about unbearable. Actually "Burn In/Burn Out" and "Why You Running?" sound like bad covers of Rolling Stones tunes. Yet on "Napalm Holiday" they come off sounding more like the Squad Five-O we heard on "Bombs Over Broadway". If you dig the whole glam-rock thing, my advice would be to go pick up a New York Dolls album, or if you want something from a newer band get your hands on the new Silver album. They are a band that is headed in a similar direction with more of a punk edge, plus they do it about 100 times better. Silver is from Norway and are all the rage over there. Go to www.thesilverband.com to find out more about the true glam-punk band Silver.