North Wind

North Wind

Overview:

North Wind is Seiko Matsuda’s second studio album, released on December 1, 1980. This album followed the success of her debut album Squall, and was an important album that helped Seiko solidify her position in the Japanese music industry.
North Wind has a slightly more mature and profound image compared to her debut album Squall. While it still has the feel of a pure and innocent idol, this album attempts to express more mature emotions and expressions.
As the title North Wind suggests, this album contains a theme associated with winter. With the title reminiscent of the chilly north wind, the songs on the album attempt to express emotions that bloom in the cold season.
While Squall is mainly composed of bright and cheerful songs, North Wind contains more ballads and medium-tempo songs. These songs allow Seiko’s vocals to convey a wide range of emotions, and show that her musical spectrum has broadened. The jacket and promotional photos for the North Wind album emphasize Seiko’s still innocent, yet more mature image. The album cover also features a sophisticated styling that reflects the calm atmosphere of winter.
North Wind is considered an album that showed the potential for Seiko Matsuda to grow beyond a simple idol into a mature artist. The success of this album led her to continue her musical experiments and establish a unique position in Japanese pop music.
The main tracks are Kaze wa akiiro (風は秋色), the fifth track, and Eighteen, the eighth track.

Album information:

○ Release date: December 1, 1980

○ Label: CBS/Sony

○ Sales: 387,000 copies

Track list:

01.Shiroi Koibito (白い恋人)

02.Hanadokei Saita (花時計咲いた)

03.North Wind

04.Fuyu no Album (冬のアルバム)

05.Kaze wa akiiro (風は秋色)

06.Only My Love

07.Spoon Ippai no Asa (スプーン一杯の朝)