"Seasons of Your Day" is the fourth studio album by American alternative rock band Mazzy Star, released on September 23, 2013, through their independent label, Rhymes of An Hour. This album marked their first release since Among My Swan in 1996, following a long hiatus during which they sporadically recorded new material after their contract with Capitol Records ended.
The album was recorded in various locations, including California, London, and Norway, and features contributions from original band members, including the late violinist Will Glenn, who passed away in 2001. It also includes the work of Hope Sandoval's Warm Inventions partner, Colm Ó Cíosóig, and the late Bert Jansch, who plays guitar on the track "Spoon."
Upon release, Seasons of Your Day received generally favorable reviews from critics, who praised its production and songwriting quality. The lead single, "Common Burn"/"Lay Myself Down," was released digitally on October 31, 2011, followed by a limited edition vinyl on January 24, 2012. "California" was released as the first official single on August 20, 2013, and a double A-sided vinyl featuring "Seasons of Your Day"/"Sparrow" was released through Rough Trade Records on November 4, 2013. The album was later followed by the non-album single "I'm Less Here" for Record Store Day 2014.
Seasons of Your Day peaked at number 24 on the UK Albums Chart and reached number five on Billboard's Independent Albums Chart. To promote the album, the band embarked on a fourteen-date tour of North America in November 2013.
Although Seasons of Your Day was officially stated to include material recorded from 1997 onwards, interviews suggest that some tracks date back to the early 1990s. Notably, guitarist Stephen McCarthy recalled contributing pedal steel guitar to "Lay Myself Down" during a session from that period, around the time he auditioned for the band in 1990. He confirmed that he re-recorded his part nearly 25 years later.
The band began working on new material following their 1997 tour for Among My Swan. However, Capitol Records pushed for collaborations with "big name" producers, which led Hope Sandoval to request to be released from their contract. She articulated frustrations with the pressure from major labels to conform to commercial formulas, emphasizing the band's desire for creative freedom.
The track "Spoon" features guitar work by the late folk musician Bert Jansch, who was introduced to the band in the mid-1990s. Sandoval reminisced about demoing the song with Jansch in her Hampstead apartment in the late 1990s, and the studio version was recorded in Norway in 2000. The title track also includes contributions from former violinist Will Glenn, who passed away in 2001.
After a brief return for a mini-tour in 2000, recording resumed in Norway in 2002. Colm Ó Cíosóig contributed various instrumental parts to several tracks during this period. The recording sessions continued intermittently across Norway, London, and California.
Roback mentioned that several albums' worth of unreleased material was recorded during the sessions for Seasons of Your Day, though Sandoval expressed skepticism about future releases, humorously suggesting that they might only be heard after their families inherit the material.
