Makoto Matsushita - First Light (1981/1982): Mix Comparison

Makoto Matsushita's debut studio album First Light was originally released on September 21, 1981 on RVC's Air Records label. Less then a year after, the album was reissued on April 21, 1982 on Alfa Moon's Moon Records label. It was notably the first release on the label, which was usually occupied by the works of Mariya Takeuchi and Tatsuro Yamashita.

The 1982 release is most notable for its different cover artwork, but it also has a unique re-mix which overshadows the original 1981 mix in terms of availability. All currently existing CD versions (as well as the 2019/2020 vinyl reissue) use the 1982 re-mix, with the exception of the original Japanese-language version of "September Rain" being included as a bonus track on some versions.

The 1982 LP reissue adds a "Digital Mastering" sticker on the back cover, and the insert adds a mention of the album being mastered with the "JVC Digital System No. 1010." Some tracks have been re-mixed with reverb audible on some instruments, whereas other tracks have their vocals re-recorded, and others left untouched or are too similar to notice any differences.

Which mixes do you prefer for the tracks featured? Leave a comment below.

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - First Light
4:49 - One Hot Love
8:58 - Resort For Blue
9:48 - September Rain
14:18 - This Is All I Have For You
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君のSTATION (pronounced Kimi-no-Station, or "Your Station") is the showcase for music of the "city pop" genre. Unlike other channels, however, relatively obscure albums, albums currently existing in low quality, and albums that haven't been uploaded in full, will be seen here on this channel.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything in this video at all; all content belongs to their respective owners. Fair use, that's all.

[jonasgreylindley]

Happy to find people as First Light obsessed as I am.

[brianchar-bow]

First Light (a day begin)　(Lyrics Music: Makoto Matsushita)
Released on September 21, 1981
（Rough English translation of Japanese lyrics）

From beyond the horizon
Morning sunlight is begining to shine out
Taking a First Light
Into a new light
Long journey will begin

The morning buzz begin,
And the airport start moving.
Taking a New Line
I ‘ve got time to be able to fly anywhere.

The wings that cut through the wind
And will reach to the sky soon
The horizon is going far away
The clouds are going to overlap the horizon below
I penetrate the clouds

From the east to the west
I’ve lost myself in the night for your love
From the north I’m getting to the south
I’ll find a brand new breathing for you

The morning breeze carries me,
there's no goal for me to be going to aim for
Taking a First Light
It's time for me to try life on my own.

Wings that ride on the wind to fly into the southern skies.
I 'm disappearing into the endless blue sea and sky,

(Musicians)
Makoto Matsushita: Guitar, Lead Vocals
Yasuo Tomikura: Bass, Footless Bass
Yasuhiro Miyazaki: Drums
Kazuo Nobuta: Keyboards, Fender Rhodes, Acoustic Piano, Prophet 5
Hidetoshi Yamada: Keyboards, Fender Rhodes, Acoustic Piano
Masao Matsuda: Fender Rhodes
Haruo Togashi: OBX
Makoto Kimura: Percussion
Susumu Kazuhara: flugelhorn
Joe Kato Group: Strings
EVE, Eiji Kawamura: Chorus

[hanaharuspring]

FOR the PERSON WHO DID THIS, ILY, I love Makoto Matsushita so much ⭐💞

[Evan]

I have the first version on tape (I put the rip on the citypop discord a while back) I’d upload the whole thing to youtube but I fear for copyright strikes.
It’s cool to hear “This Is All I Have For You” in its purest (I assume vinyl-ripped?) form, since my copy had some muffling at the start of the track. Hearing the full rip would be sublime

[bakedsalad]

Love the clearer background sounds on the Japanese version of September Rain

[deleteable.]

i heard some extra synths on one hot love

[TheGag]

It sounds like the entire album was pitched lower in A compared to B. Which do you think was really the correct representation of the recording? I would hope B only because that's what I'm familiar with lol.