Brighten the Corners
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Brighten the Corners is the fourth studio album by American indie rock band Pavement, released on February 11, 1997 by Matador Records. The album received very positive reviews from critics.
Background and recording
Brighten the Corners was recorded at Mitch Easter's Drive-In Studio in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. According to singer and guitarist Stephen Malkmus, it was either Matador Records or Mary Timony from Helium who suggested that the band should record the album there.<ref name="Malkmus in 15 songs">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Although Brighten the Corners was mostly produced by Pavement and Bryce Goggin, Easter worked with the band for roughly a week when Goggin left the studio.<ref name="Fader interview" />
The recording sessions involved extensive editing, and the band would often record several versions of the same song before deciding on a final take. The vocals were then recorded in New York separately.<ref name="Fader interview">Template:Cite web</ref>
The album title was in reference to "Brighten The Corner Where You Are", a gospel hymn written by Homer Rodeheaver in the early 1900s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Release
Brighten the Corners was released on February 11, 1997, by Matador Records.<ref name="Matador Pavement">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2008, Matador released Brighten the Corners: Nicene Creedence Edition, a compilation containing Brighten the Corners in its entirety, as well as B-sides and other rarities from the same era.Template:Citation needed
Music
The music on Brighten the Corners has been characterized as "melodic but complex." According to Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic: "The record is calm, with none of the full-out blasts of noise that marked all of their previous releases."<ref name=":0">Template:Citation</ref> The track "Blue Hawaiian" has been described as a "sleazed-up organ-fest."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Critical reception
Brighten the Corners received very positive reviews from critics and was ranked No. 10 in The Village VoiceTemplate:'s 1997 Pazz & Jop critics' poll.<ref name="1997 Pazz & Jop">Template:Cite news</ref> In the poll's accompanying essay, Robert Christgau referred to the album as one of his "favorite albums of the year, easy", alongside those by Yo La Tengo, Sleater-Kinney, and Arto Lindsay.<ref name="No Next Big Thing">Template:Cite news</ref>
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave the album four stars out of five, writing: "While the preponderance of slow songs and laid-back production makes the album more focused than Wowee Zowee, it doesn't have the rich diversity of its predecessor -- 'Type Slowly' comes closest to the grand, melancholic beauty of 'Grounded' -- but it remains a thoroughly compelling listen."<ref name=":0" />
Track listing
Personnel
Pavement
- Stephen Malkmus – lead vocals, guitar
- Bob Nastanovich – percussion, backing vocals
- Scott Kannberg – lead vocals (tracks 4, 10), backing vocals, guitar
- Steve West – drums, percussion
- Mark Ibold – bass guitar
Technical
- Mitch Easter – engineer, mixing
- Bryce Goggin – engineer, mixing
Charts
Weekly charts
| Chart (1997) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>Template:Cite Ryan</ref> | 64 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 50 |
| Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 38 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 56 |
| US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 70 |
| European Albums (Eurotipsheet)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 91 |
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak position |
|---|---|---|
| UK <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | ||
| "Stereo" | 1997 | 48 |
| "Shady Lane" | 40 |