The Milk-Eyed Mender is the debut album by American singer-songwriter Joanna Newsom, released on March 23, 2004 on the Drag City label (see 2004 in music).
Joanna Newsom wrote all the songs on the album except for "Three Little Babes", a traditional Appalachian song. According to the liner notes, Joanna plays "a Lyon & Healy style 15 harp, a wurlitzer electric piano, a harpsichord, and piano."
A bandmate in San Francisco band The Pleased, Noah Georgeson, produced and recorded the album, as well as contributing guitar to two tracks and backing vocals to one. Cover art embroidery is by Emily Prince and photographs are by Alissa Anderson. Newsom thanks former touring partners Will Oldham, Devendra Banhart, and Vetiver, along with many others.
The album was placed in the Top 20 of the Village Voice's annual "Pazz & Jop" poll for 2004.
Indie pop quintet The Decemberists covered "Bridges and Balloons" on their 2006 EP release Picaresqueties, while "Peach, Plum, Pear" was covered by Straylight Run as a bonus track for their 2007 album The Needles The Space.
