The Milk-Eyed Mender

The Milk-Eyed Mender is the debut album by harpist and singer Joanna Newsom. Unlike her next two albums, Ys and Have One on Me, Mender relies heavily on pop structuring to spin tales of loss, love, and wonder. Save for “Three Little Babies”, a classic tune by Texas Gladden, Newsom wrote each song and performed all the instruments. The album was received quite warmly, featuring prominently on best-of lists for both the year 2004 and the 2000s decade.