Mark Heard's third solo outing was originally released in Europe only in 1980. It wasn't until 1995, three years after his death, that it was finally issued in the United States. Even in 1980, before he was held captive to a restrictive, yet ill-defined, recording contract,
Heard seemed to be pulled in several directions. On one hand, he seemed to favor the mellow acoustic pop as heard on "Well Worn Pages," "Nowadays," and the folk and country leanings of "Just the Same" and "Brown Eyed Sue." On the other hand, the standard three-chord rock of "I'm in Chains" and "Gimme Mine," along with the funky blues of "One More Time," seem better suited to his songwriting and singing styles. Whatever the case,
Fingerprint was not a particularly noteworthy release for
Heard. Its dated sound, regardless of musical style, leaned more toward 1975 than 1980, but it was a stepping-stone in his career which lead to further albums in which he experimented with and reconciled his affinities for folk, rock & roll, blues, bluegrass, and new wave.