Simile

A simile (/ˈsɪməli/) is a figure of speech that directly compares two things through the explicit use of connecting words (such as like, as, so, than, or various verbs such as resemble). Although similes and metaphors are sometimes considered to be interchangeable, similes acknowledge the imperfections and limitations of the comparative relationship to a greater extent than metaphors. Metaphors are subtler and therefore rhetorically stronger in that metaphors equate two things rather than simply compare them. Similes also safeguard the author against outrageous, incomplete, or unfair comparison. Generally, metaphor is the stronger and more encompassing of the two forms of rhetorical analogies. While similes are mainly used in forms of poetry that compare the inanimate and the living, there are also terms in which similes and personifications are used for humorous purposes and comparison.

Uses

In literature

Similes (album)

Similes is the fifth album from Portland, Oregon ambient musician Matthew Cooper, under the name Eluvium. The album features Cooper's first vocal performances and percussion, and is the first album to have a verse-chorus form in some of its tracks. The front cover is an artwork created by his wife, Jeannie Paske, who painted artworks for most of his other albums.

Tour

Eluvium toured across North America in the end of April and throughout May 2010, for the first time performing as a trio - featuring Eric Masey (who joined him on the Travels in Constants disc) and Charles Buckingham (with whom Eluvium made the Concert Silence project), "both on keyboard duties as well as samples and live manipulation". At the tour Eluvium performed 5 tracks from Similes (only those which feature vocals) and 4 tracks from his previous albums.

Track listing

Eluvium

In geology, eluvium or eluvial deposits are those geological deposits and soils that are derived by in situ weathering or weathering plus gravitational movement or accumulation.

The process of removal of materials from geological or soil horizons is called eluviation or leaching. There is a difference in the usage of this term in geology and soil science. In soil science, eluviation is the transport of soil material from upper layers of soil to lower levels by downward precipitation of water across soil horizons, and accumulation of this material (illuvial deposit) in lower levels is called illuviation. In geology, the removed material is irrelevant, and the deposit (eluvial deposit) is the remaining material. Eluviation occurs when precipitation exceeds evaporation.

A soil horizon formed due to eluviation is an eluvial zone or eluvial horizon. In a typical soil profile, the eluvial horizon refers to a light-colored zone located (depending on context and literature) either at the lower part of the A horizon (symbol: Ae) or within a distinct horizon (E horizon) below the A, where the process is most intense and rapid. Yet some sources consider the eluvial zone to be the A horizon plus the (distinct) E horizon, as eluviation technically occurs in both.

Eluvium (musician)

Eluvium is the moniker of the American ambient recording artist Matthew Cooper, who currently resides in Portland, Oregon. Cooper, who was born in Tennessee and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, before relocating to the Northwest, is known for blending various genres of experimental music including electronic, minimalism and piano. His albums often feature artwork and photographs by Jeannie Paske.

Eluvium is currently signed to the record label, Temporary Residence Limited.

Matthew Robert Cooper and Miniatures

In April 2008 it was announced that Cooper would release a "solo album" under the name Matthew Robert Cooper. Writing on the Temporary Residence message boards Cooper explained the change "this is not far from something "eluvium" would release—but since I began writing them—I felt that they were somehow disconnected from eluvium—perhaps a different personality took shape—thus, the use of a different name - this work is very dear to me."

Miniatures was issued in 2008 on a limited vinyl release on the fledgling Portland label, Gaarden Records. The album was limited to 2,000 copies with the first 1,000 on colored vinyl.