Pianoworks
| Pianoworks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 31, 2019 | |||
| Genre | Ambient | |||
| Length | 51:01 | |||
| Label | Temporary Residence | |||
| Producer | Matthew Cooper | |||
| Eluvium chronology | ||||
| ||||
Pianoworks is the tenth studio album by American ambient artist Matthew Cooper under the moniker Eluvium. The album was released on May 31, 2019, through Temporary Residence[1] and consists solely of piano compositions.[2] It received generally favorable reviews from critics.[3]
Background
[edit]Pianoworks is Eluvium's first solo studio album since Shuffle Drones (2017),[4] and his first solo piano album since An Accidental Memory in the Case of Death (2004).[5] The album was inspired by "the quiet thoughts and solitary observations of children."[5]
Release
[edit]The standard edition of the album comes in CD and 2LP formats, while the deluxe edition comes in 2CD and 3LP formats.[4] The latter comes with the bonus album, titled Pianoworks Vol. 2, which contains solo piano recordings of Eluvium's past compositions.[4]
In conjunction with the album, Eluvium also released the Pianoworks sheet music book, a 76-page performance guide containing transcriptions of every solo piano song in Eluvium's discography.[4][6]
Critical reception
[edit]| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 73/100[3] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [7] |
| Exclaim! | 6/10[8] |
| Pitchfork | 7.6/10[2] |
| PopMatters | [1] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Pianoworks received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 73 out of 100 from 4 critic scores.[3]
Fred Thomas of AllMusic stated, "The 13 tracks here are spare, lonely, and muted, played with a sense of remove that suggests both nostalgia and the resurfacing of lost memories."[7] Brian Howe of Pitchfork commented that "The compositions are consummate Eluvium, but the signature childlike wonder is underscored with mature regret and intellect."[2] Ed Whitelock of PopMatters called the album "Eluvium's most immediately accessible record to date."[1] Adam Feibel of Exclaim! commented that "It is thoughtfully composed but, for the most part, emotionally flat, and at times even feels rather metronomic and inhuman."[8] Nathan Stevens of Spectrum Culture called it "a wondrous, welcoming album."[9]
Amy X. Wang of Rolling Stone named Pianoworks the fifth best album of 2019.[10]
Track listing
[edit]All tracks are written by Matthew Cooper.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Recital" | 3:51 |
| 2. | "Quiet Children" | 4:24 |
| 3. | "Carrier 32" | 2:49 |
| 4. | "Inherent Mosaic" | 2:46 |
| 5. | "Transfiguration One" | 4:45 |
| 6. | "Masquerade" | 2:42 |
| 7. | "Underwater Dream" | 4:02 |
| 8. | "Vacuous Plenum" | 3:49 |
| 9. | "Transfiguration Two" | 3:37 |
| 10. | "Paper Autumnalia" | 4:17 |
| 11. | "Myriad Days" | 1:59 |
| 12. | "Soliloquy & Aside" | 5:46 |
| 13. | "Empathy for a Silhouette" | 6:07 |
| Total length: | 51:01 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "An Accidental Memory in the Case of Death" | 3:05 |
| 2. | "Genius and the Thieves" | 1:49 |
| 3. | "Perfect Neglect in a Field of Stautes" | 5:39 |
| 4. | "Nepenthe" | 3:14 |
| 5. | "In a Sense" | 1:41 |
| 6. | "The Well-Meaning Professor" | 7:09 |
| 7. | "Prelude for Time Feelers" | 5:20 |
| 8. | "Radio Ballet" | 3:30 |
| 9. | "Hymn #1" | 1:23 |
| 10. | "Caroling" | 3:44 |
| 11. | "Impromptu (For the Procession)" | 3:44 |
| 12. | "Entendre" | 4:20 |
| Total length: | 44:43 | |
Personnel
[edit]Credits adapted from liner notes.[11]
- Matthew Cooper – performance, production, design
- Rafael Anton Irisarri – mastering
- Jeremy deVine – layout
- Jeannie Lynn Paske – cover ("They Had Not Heard Us Calling")
Charts
[edit]| Chart (2019) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Classical Artist Albums (OCC)[12] | 31 |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Whitelock, Ed (June 3, 2019). "Eluvium's 'Pianoworks' Is a Welcoming and Reflective Collection of Compositions". PopMatters. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
- ^ a b c Howe, Brian (June 3, 2019). "Eluvium: Pianoworks". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on April 1, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Piano Works by Eluvium". Metacritic. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
- ^ a b c d Otis, Erik (April 12, 2019). "Eluvium Returns with First Solo Piano Album Since 2004". XLR8R. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
- ^ a b Helman, Peter (March 26, 2019). "Eluvium – "Recital"". Stereogum. Archived from the original on September 20, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
- ^ "Eluvium – Pianoworks". Temporary Residence Limited. Archived from the original on April 24, 2025. Retrieved August 27, 2025.
- ^ a b Thomas, Fred. "Piano Works - Eluvium". AllMusic. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
- ^ a b Feibel, Adam (May 30, 2019). "Eluvium". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on April 23, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
- ^ Stevens, Nathan (June 3, 2019). "Eluvium: Pianoworks". Spectrum Culture. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved August 27, 2025.
- ^ "Best Music of 2019: Staff Picks". Rolling Stone. December 20, 2019. Archived from the original on April 8, 2020. Retrieved August 27, 2025.
- ^ Eluvium (2019). Pianoworks (CD booklet). Temporary Residence Limited.
- ^ "Official Classical Artist Albums Chart on 14/6/2019". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
Further reading
[edit]- Palao, Alfie (October 10, 2019). "On getting out of your own way". The Creative Independent. Archived from the original on April 25, 2022.
External links
[edit]- Pianoworks at Discogs (list of releases)