Burl Dushkin - Mythology '82-'89

EGS003: Burl Dushkin - Mythology '82-'89

*LINK UPDATED 5/26/2011*
I've got a long story today, but it's worth the read, I promise! On the first gorgeous day of the spring of 2003, I went for a walk around Chandler Pond in Brighton, MA with my girlfriend at the time. On our way back to Foster Terrace, we passed a house with a cardboard box on the curb with FREE STUFF written on the side in permanent marker. My curiousity got the better of me, and I decided to take a peak inside. The first thing I saw was a factory-sealed cassette tape of Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young's greatest hits compilation, So Far. I never could figure out why somebody would have that tape and not open it, but I was happy to take it. But this was not the greatest treasure in the box...there was also a cassette tape and two CDs featuring the music of a mysterious cat named Burl Dushkin. Well, I have a soft spot for found letters/art/etc, so I was pretty excited about listening to some found music. And the music was good! The cassette was comprised of three instrumental songs. According to the scribbles on the J-card, ol' Burl played all the instruments (electric guitar, drum machine program, and an impressive array of now-vintage analog synthesizers) and it was recorded at his home studio in Arlington, MA in the fall of 1982. Although there were song titles and credits scribbled on the insert, there was no cover art. Maybe it was a demo intended for record labels, but I can't find any information online. The first CD was labeled 'A Light Interruption E.P.' but otherwise also lacking in artwork. These four songs were recorded in Arlington during 1987, it seems by this time Dushkin had abandoned the guitars altogether in favor of digital keyboards and sound effects. It's all sequenced as one track and this stuff is A LOT weirder than the tape, but some of it is pretty accessible, and overall the quality of the production seems to have increased since he made the tape in '82. The final CD only has one song on it, and its pretty much more of the same as the Light Interruption EP...digital synths, programmed drums, stereo effects and more weirdness. Although this doesnt appear to be an official release (the credits were handwritten again), this one finally had some artwork (which I reused for the cover of this compiltion). Recorded in 1989, it seems Dushkin had moved to Newton by this point (which may explain why I found the box in Brighton) but otherwise it was business as usual. Ironically, I grew up in Newton and I was probably playing with Go-Bots nearby while this song was being recorded. While it's not surprising that Burl never found any mainstream success, I am a little bit perplexed that I cannot find ANY information about him beyond what was in the box. Burl -- if you're out there, please get in touch!

Track Listing:
1. Dushkin Sound
2. A Song for Cyrus
3. One Scenario (Love Synth)
4. A Light Interruption E.P.
-A Light Interruption (pt. 1)
-Effervescent Bloodbath
-Here Comes the Downpour
-A Light Interruption (pt. 2)
5. Anxier Malk (Section 1A)
Burl Dushkin - Song for Cyrus Faryar by electrickgypsyservice

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