If Looks Could Kill (Jim French album)

If Looks Could Kill is the only studio album by avant-garde jazz musician Jim French, released in 1979 by Headhunter Records. It is one of composer Diamanda Galás' earliest musical recordings.[1][2][3]

If Looks Could Kill
Studio album by
Released1979 (1979)
RecordedSeptember 9, 1979 (1979-09-09)
StudioMedia Art Recording
(Hermosa Beach, CA)
GenreAvant-garde jazz
Length43:30
LabelMetalanguage
ProducerHenry Kaiser
Diamanda Galás chronology
If Looks Could Kill
(1979)
The Litanies of Satan
(1982)

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [1]

Eugene Chadbourne of AllMusic was highly critical of If Looks Could Kill, describing it as disappointing overall and that "little of this music is developed or delivered with any amount of feeling." He gave the album two out of five stars, concluding that it might only be interesting for completists of his collaborators to seek out.[1]

Track listing

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Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Picornponia"Jim French1:00
2."Lament"Traditional arr.1:00
3."Saltarello"Traditional arr.0:50
4."The Human Fancier's"Jim French2:50
5."Nobody Knows You"Jimmy Cox2:05
6."The Maple Leaf Rag"Scott Joplin1:25
7."Infrapolatia"Jim French5:15
8."Wolftraum"Jim French6:00
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Looks Could Kill"Jim French, Diamanda Galás8:35
2."Envelope Please"Jim French, Diamanda Galás, Henry Kaiser4:15
3."Horses in Trouble"Jim French, Henry Kaiser3:00
4."Flag Day"Diamanda Galás, Henry Kaiser3:00
5."Having a Party"Jim French, Henry Kaiser1:00
6."Pillow Talk"Jim French, Diamanda Galás, Henry Kaiser3:15

Personnel

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Adapted from the If Looks Could Kill liner notes.[4]

Release history

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Region Date Label Format Catalog
United States 1979 Metalanguage LP ML 108

References

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  1. ^ a b c Chadbourne, Eugene. "Jim French: If Looks Could Kill > Review". Allmusic. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  2. ^ "Diamanda Galás roars back with two new albums. 'Do I still scare people?' she asks. 'Yes.'". San Diego Union-Tribune. July 8, 2017.
  3. ^ "Diamanda Galás Diva of the Dispossessed". exclaim.ca.
  4. ^ If Looks Could Kill (sleeve). Jim French. Berkeley, California: Metalanguage Records. 1979.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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