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L'Ensemble du Diable: The Post-Pluto Universe
L'Ensemble du Diable is not truly an ensemble but a trio complemented by a rotating collective of "guests." Among this cooperative are relatives and people owed money by band members. They are creatively inconsequential and won't be listed here unless that threatening phone call turns out to be the real thing. Original member, Parker, and percussionist Sodium Jones, formerly of The Red Aunts, are joined by multi-instrumentalist Calibri Fonts. Fonts' previous work was with the Valentine Mott Quartet whose self-produced Fear No Weevil (Shredded Records, 2019) drew critical praise. It is worth noting that despite the failed Suess experiment, the group developed an affinity for the unique set of Seussian instruments and has carried some over to The Post-Pluto Universe.
Post-Pluto is not a new concept as Jones explains in the album's liner notes. "We had been kicking around the idea of the universe after Pluto was demoted, but amateur astronomers were still grieving; it felt like it was too soon. But it's been fifteen years and I think we need to deal with it now." The recording consists of three extended tracks, the forty-seven-minute "Orbital Sander in Repose" being the centerpiece. Fonts plays the three-nozzle bloozer and she uses it to expertly mimic the sound of the electro-carnio flook. Jones joins the innovative fray, augmenting his drum kit with a standing boomero. Describing the music on The Post-Pluto Universe is impossible. Sorry.
Where L'Ensemble du Diable goes from here, and whether anyone will try to follow them, is an open question. Rumors of a late 2022 Jazz Christmas album are unconfirmed but if true, it will be a bold move into uncharted waters.
Track Listing
Hats Without Heads (How Do They Do That?); Orbital Sander in Repose; Here Comes the Cheese King.
Personnel
Additional Instrumentation
Fluoride Parker Jr.: acoustic bass, electric bass, laminated double bass, six-string bass, fretless bass, string-less bass; Sodium Jones: drums, thimbles, sleigh bells, triangle, rectangle, hexagon; Calibri Fonts: three-nozzle bloozer, incantations, harmless spells; Other people: other things.
Album information
Title: The Post-Pluto Universe | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: Purgatory Records
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