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Fingerprince
Studio album by The Residents
Released	February 1977
Recorded	1974–1976
Length	36:32 (LP) 49:43 (CD)
Label	Ralph Records
The Residents chronology
The Third Reich 'n' Roll (1976) Fingerprince (1977) Radio Special (1977)

Fingerprince is the third studio album by American art rock group the Residents, released in 1977. It was allegedly intended to be a three-sided record titled Tourniquet of Roses, but due to financial difficulties in fulfilling such a project, the record was instead cut down to a regular two-sided album.

The album is considered a transitional period for the Residents, between the early avant-garde stylings of Meet the Residents and The Third Reich 'n Roll and the minimalist song structures of Duck Stab and Commercial Album.

Music

Fingerprince's first side consists of short, minimalist songs featuring skeletal drum machines, emphasized horn and percussion sections, murky atmospherics (except for the upbeat "You Yesyesyes") and a bigger focus on vocals and lyrics.

The second side consists of one 17-minute track titled "Six Things to a Cycle", originally written as a ballet. It is an instrumental suite composed of six movements, with a strong focus on percussion and repetition of a single motif. Eventually the improvised percussion is joined by wordless vocals, keyboards, horns and violins.

A third side of music was planned for the album before the decision to release it as a standard single LP. This third side was eventually released in 1979 as an EP titled Babyfingers, which mirrors the standard LP – short songs on one side, a single long composition on the other side.

Release history

For the CD release of Fingerprince, all of the songs from Babyfingers, which were originally supposed to be part of the record, were included in their original running order.

The 1995 Euro Ralph CD reissue of Fingerprince kept the original track order from the original LP but included the complete Babyfingers as a bonus 3" CD with the album. All subsequent reissues of the album include all three sides, with slight alterations in the track order.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Christgau's Record Guide	B
The Rolling Stone Album Guide

In the December 31, 1977, issue of Sounds magazine, Jon Savage notes that this album is more accessible than the band's first two albums, comparing it to Steely Dan and Frank Zappa "put through 10 years and a considerable warp." He also compares the Residents' integrity and outrage to the first punk "explosion." Andy Gill of New Musical Express compared the second side of the album to Harry Partch.

Track listing

All tracks are written by the Residents

CD releases

2018 pREServed Edition

Personnel

• The Residents – vocals, guitars, horns, synthesizers, keyboards, percussion
• Snakefinger – vocals, guitars
• Don Jackovich – percussion
• Adrian Dekbar – violin
• Tony Logan – percussion
• Pamela Zeibak – vocals

References

1. Neely, Tim (Jan 24, 2003). "The Residents' U.S. discography". Goldmine. Vol. 29, no. 2. p. 17.
2. Original Fingerprince sleeve notes.
3. "Fingerprince (Tourniquet of Roses) Review by Ted Mills". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
4. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: R". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 10, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
5. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 587.
6. "Residents: Meet the Residents *****; Third Reich 'N' Roll *****; Finger Prince *****. By Jon Savage : Articles, reviews and interviews from Rock's Backpages". www.rocksbackpages.com. Retrieved 2019-07-28.
7. "Meet the Legendary Residents, Alias the Cryptic Corporation. By Andy Gill : Articles, reviews and interviews from Rock's Backpages". www.rocksbackpages.com. Retrieved 2019-07-28.

• The Residents albums
• Ralph Records albums
• 1977 albums