Brighten the Corners was recorded at Mitch Easter's Drive-In Studio in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, based on a suggestion from either Matador Records or Mary Timony from Helium. The album was primarily produced by Pavement and Bryce Goggin, with Easter collaborating for about a week after Goggin left the studio.

The recording sessions involved extensive editing, and the band often recorded multiple versions of each song before selecting a final take. Vocals were recorded separately in New York.

The album title references the gospel hymn "Brighten The Corner Where You Are," written by Homer Rodeheaver in the early 1900s.