Fingerprintz - ~Distinguishing Marks *Beat Noir

Name: Fingerprintz
Album: ~Distinguishing Marks *Beat Noir
Year: ~1980, *1981
Style: Punk, Powerpop
Similar Bands: Cheap Trick, Clash, Gang of Four, Buzzcocks, Game Theory, Sex Execs, Blue Chips, Sparks, Talking Heads, Thomas Dolby, Lou Reed, Devo, Duran Duran, Gordon Gano
"One-Word" Review: ~Pure Power-Pop Punk, *Disco-Jazz Post-Punk
Based Out Of: Scotland, UK
Label: ~Virgin, Atlantic, Warner *Stiff, Virgin

 Cover, Credits, Record

 Back, Lyrics, Record

 Cover, Record

Back, Record

~Distinguishing Marks (1980)

1. Yes Eyes 3:02
2. Houdini Love 3:09 (Single)
3. Criminal Mind 4:08
4. Bullet Proof Heart 4:49 (Single)
5. Remorse Code 3:34 /
6. Amnesia 2:44
7. Ringtone 2:40
8. Radiation 4:50
9. Jabs 3:23
10. Hide And Seek 4:50 (b-side single)

~Beat Noir (1981)

1. The Beat Escape 5:52 (single)
2. Shadowed 3:07 (single)
3. Changing 3:46
4. Get Civilised 4:35 /
5. Catwalk 4:08
6. The Chase 5:15
7. Touch Sense 4:22
8. Going Going Gone 3:52

Album Rating (1-10): ~ 9.5
*7.0

Members & Other Bands:

• *~Jimme O'Neill - Guitar, Lead Vox, Writer, *Producer, Trashicaster Chops, Chimes (Jacqui Brookes, Silencers, Honkytonk Hicks, Celtic Social Club, Intro, Lene Lovich, Scottish World Cup Squad, Alan Simon, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Anthony More)
• *~Cha Burnz - Lead Guitar, Vox, Writer, *Underworld Vox, Whirlybird Guitars (Silencers, Adam Ant)
• *~Kenny Alton - Bass, Vox (Dick Envy, Vermilion)
• *~Bogdan Wiczling - Drums, Percussion (Jacqui Brookes, Adam Ant, Bill Wyman, Lene Lovich, Bill Nelson)
• ~Bernie Clarke - Keys (Ten Years Later, Alamo Leal, Alvin Lee, Sapho, Bram Tchaikovsky, Vampire Bats From Lewisham, Phillip Rambow, Aztec Camera, Bill Hurley, Johnny Guitar, Big Heat, David Knopfler, Lizzy Mercier, Edwyn Collins, OST, Go Betweens, Alabama 3)
• ~Nick Garvey - Producer
• ~Trevor Hallesy - Engineer
• ~Terry Medhurst - Engineer
• ~Nigel Barker - Asst. Engineer
• ~David Kemp - Asst. Engineer
• ~John Stalin - Illustrations
• ~Peter Saville - Sleeve Design
• *Chris Kimsey - Producer
• *Chris Porter - Producer 
• *Steve King - Shadowy Keys (The Colonel, Maddy Prior, Leon Rosselson, Helen Shapiro, Home Service, Linda Thompson)
• *Sadie the Cat - Cat Vox, Do-be-Doos
• *Don Snow - Keys Blanc (Squeeze, Anti-Heroin Project, The Catch, The Sinceros, Lee Kosmin, Wendy & the Rocketts, Judie, Tzuke, Nik Kershaw, Chris Eaton, Shelia Walsh, Tina Turner, Holly Johnston, Jimmy Somerville, Heartland, Thomas Anders, Markus Gardeweg, Lene Lovich, Jona Lewie, Nino Buonocore, Tracey Ullman, ABC, Stephen Duffy, Roger Daltrey, Dusty Springfield)
• *Ron Francois - Bass Noir (Strutters, Lene Lovich, Teardrop Explodes, James Reyne, Wendy Matthews, Sinceros, Absent Friends, Kaylan, Ganggajand, Eurogliders, Nick Plytas, Valerie Lagrange, Julian Cope, Cabo Frio, Aleesha Rome)
• *Krystof Kafka - Accordion
• *John Irish Earle - Sax (Gnidrolog, Kilburn & the Highroads, Nine Days' Wonder, The Dance Band, Rumor Brass, Philip Chevron, Ruthless Blues, Graham Parker, Jona Lewie, Rachel Sweet, Johnny Thunders, Thin Lizzy, Wreckless Eric, Carlene Carter, Roy Sundholm, Sandy McLelland, Johnny G, Inmates, Desmond Dekker, Supercharge, Sean Tyla, Joan Jett, Lili Drop, Live Wire, dB's Kirsty MacColl, Dave Edmunds, Shakin' Stevens, Sky High, Mike + Mechanics, Katrina and the Waves, Big Heat, gadgets, Krypton, Dogs, Les Cactus, Fafafa, Paul Carrack, Gary Glitter, Privates)
• *Dick English Hanson - Trumpet (Ossie Laine, Dance Band, Greatest Show On Earth, Rumor Brass, Taggett, Supercharge, Graham Parker & The Rumour, Jona Lewiw. Rachel Sweet, Wreckless Eric, Inmates, dB's, Dave Edmunds, Sky High, Shakin' Stevens, The Strand, Julien Clerc, Helen Shapiro, katrina & the Waves, Big Heat, Zoom, Dogs, Fixx, Fafafa, Rory Gallagher, Desmond Dekker, Privates, John Gotting, Suzi Quatro, Richie Milton )
• *Spike Edney - Trombone (Gosport Horns, Queen, SAS Band, Brian May Band, The Cross, Happy Clubsters, The Cross, Roger Chapman, Roger Taylor, Edwin Starr, Linx, Private Lives, Boomtown Rats, Dexys Midnight Runners, Bucks Fizz, Elaine Paige, Haircut 100, Virginia Wolf, Ann Lewis, Duran Duran, Manic Street Preachers, Rhinomen, Les Wampas, Joe Cocker)
• *Andy Hamilton - Sax (Gosport Horns, George Michael, Duran Duran, David Bowie, Elton John, Radihead, Pet Shop Boys, Albania, Dexys Midnight Runners, Hook Horns, Sandy McLelland & the Backline, Edwin Starr, Linx, Private Lives, Boomtown Rats, Corey Hart, Altered Images, Farmers Boys, Judie Tzuke, Thomas Leer, Wham, Jon Astley, Virginia Wolf, David Knopfler, gary Moore, Tina Turner, Nine Below Zero, Right Said Fred, Marc Almond, Interpreterts, Rhythm Kings, Brian May, Stereophonics)
• *Dave Phee - Sellotape & Masterplans
• *Niall Doull-Connolly - Cover Photo
• *Mike Laye - Back Photo
• *Kip Krones - Mgmt

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, but i saw these two albums side by side in the same discount bin, and from their name, Bryan Ferry-like cover (*sure, Ferry's more familiar "Bete Noir" was 6 years later) and punch out postcard artwork on the 'Marks' it really seems like they have a retro spy/PI theme going, along with the band name. So I imagine dark, back alley crime themes, along with power pop/punk styles (based on the labels).

Album Review: These two albums are very different in composition. Where 'Marks is straight up New Wave power pop-punk, akin to Cheap Trick with a little Game Theory-like vocals + slight variants song to song, Beat Noir is, for the majority, a dancey, Thomas Dolby/Sparks-like Disco New Wave band. That said, (and i love Sparks), there is not really a bad song on 'Marks (Bullet Proof Heart is the closest to a miss), however, I am having hard time picking out a good, stand out song on 'Noir. Singer O'Neill was not their original singer, and early on was writing songs for other big acts like Lene Lovich, Paul Young, Rachel Sweet & Manfred Mann. His wife Sadie sings on 'Noir.

Stand Out Track: ~Yes Eyes
*Going Going Gone

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