Brighten the Corners is the fourth studio album by American indie rock band Pavement, recorded in 1996 and released the following year. All songs were written by lead singer Stephen Malkmus, apart from Scott Kannberg's "Date with Ikea" and "Passat Dream". The title is likely a reference to Ella Fitzgerald's 1967 album Brighten the Corner, or to the 1957 Thelonious Monk album Brilliant Corners. It is also the only Pavement album to feature a full lyric sheet.
All tracks written by Stephen Malkmus, except where noted.
Stephen Malkmus – vocals, guitar
Bob Nastanovich – percussion, vocals
Scott Kannberg – vocals, guitar
Steve West – drums, percussion
Mark Ibold – bass
Mitch Easter – engineer, mixing
Bryce Goggin – engineer, mixing
Matador Records released an expanded two-CD edition of this album under the title Brighten the Corners: Nicene Creedence Edition on December 9, 2008. It contains the band's fourth album, Brighten the Corners (1997), in its entirety, as well as 32 of the band's other songs from that era, 18 of which were previously unreleased. The initial pre-order offer from Matador Records also included the band's previously unreleased live album, Live Europaturnén MCMXCVII, on 12" vinyl.
Brighten the Corners
1. "Stereo"
2. "Shady Lane / J Vs. S"
3. "Transport Is Arranged"
4. "Date w/ IKEA"
5. "Old to Begin"
6. "Type Slowly"
7. "Embassy Row"
8. "Blue Hawaiian"
9. "We Are Underused"
10. "Passat Dream"
11. "Starlings of the Slipstream"
12. "Fin"
Brighten The Corners outtakes
13. "And Then (The Hexx)" (Originally released as the b-side to "Spit on a Stranger" (OLE-384-7) in May 1999, but presented here is the unedited full version, previously unreleased. It was initially planned to be the opening track to
Brighten the Corners.)
14. "Beautiful as a Butterfly"
15. "Cataracts"
Stereo single
16. "Westie Can Drum"
17. "Winner of the"
18. "Birds in the Majic Industry" (previously unreleased full length vocal version)
Spit on a Stranger single (included here since both were recorded and mixed during Brighten the Corners sessions)
19. "Harness Your Hopes"
20. "Roll with the Wind"
Shady Lane single
1. "Slowly Typed"
2. "Cherry Area"
3. "Wanna Mess You Around"
4. "No Tan Lines"
BBC Radio One Evening Session, January 15, 1997
5. "And Then (The Hexx)" (previously unreleased)
6. "Harness Your Hopes" (previously unreleased)
7. "The Killing Moon" (released on
Major Leagues EP)
8. "Winner of the" (previously unreleased)
Brighten The Corners outtakes
9. "Embassy Row Psych Intro" (previously unreleased)
10. "Nigel" (previously unreleased)
11. "Chevy (Old to Begin)" (previously unreleased mix)
12. "Roll with the Wind (Roxy)" (previously unreleased mix)
God Save The Clean: A Tribute to the Clean, Flying Nun Records compilation
13. "Odditty"
Tibetan Freedom Concert compilation
14. "Type Slowly" (live)
KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic, February 25, 1997
15. "Neil Hagerty Meets Jon Spencer in a Non-Alcoholic Bar" (previously unreleased)
16. "Destroy Mater Dei" (previously unreleased)
17. "It’s A Rainy Day, Sunshine Girl"
18. "Maybe Maybe"
BBC Radio One John Peel Live Session, August 21, 1997
19. "Date w/ IKEA" (previously unreleased)
20. "Fin" (previously unreleased)
21. "Grave Architecture" (previously unreleased)
22. "The Classical" (released on
Major Leagues EP)
WFNX Studios, February 12, 1997
23. "Space Ghost Theme I" (previously unreleased)
24. "Space Ghost Theme II" (previously unreleased)
