2011 is the title of Jovan Karcic’s second solo album and it is his sonic shadow of that year. Recorded mostly alone, and originally released locally as an edition of 53 hand-drawn oil/crayon/ink/chalk covers, Karcic sits nicely beside other DIY loners like Michael Yonkers, Bob Trimble, and Dave Cloud.
Karcic has shuffled throughout central Ohio as a sideman for almost 20 years. Highlights include Gaunt, Scrawl, The Black Swans, Haynes Boys, Alwood Sisters, and Cobra Verde. In 2010, Karcic found inspiration in two best-selling books that helped him move forward: Patti Smith’s Just Kids and Julia Cameron’s self-help manual, The Artist’s Way. In Smith, he found “permission to be an artist not just in secret,” while Cameron’s chapter on “Morning Pages” exercises (write and move on) taught structure. Using an Apple Powerbook G3 and ProTools Free, Karcic recorded alone in a garage once shared by his bands, Gaunt and Scrawl, as well as New Bomb Turks, V-3, and many others. He built songs from the rhythm up: drums first, then a Casio CZ-1, whatever guitar was leaning against his amp, bass, vocal melody, and, finally, words. Only a cousin to rock music, it sounds like a murkier Parade-era Prince and Amon Dull II through a Midwestern filter with lyrics personal and cryptic.
This album, 2011, is the second in what is sure to be a series, and his first for the Scioto label. Jovan Karcic is having conversations with himself, and setting them to music, one year at a time. Decoder ring not included.
Today Ghettoblaster has the pleasure of sharing the video for “Lonesome Trekker.”Here’s what Jovan had to say about the song/video:
“My job has a window that looks onto a busy city street. Every morning for a few weeks I’d see a man dressed in full hiking gear walk past. I created a fantasy in which he was training to hike the Appalachian Trail, leaving the chaos of the city to “return to the wild truth”. Incidentally, I haven’t seen him since recording the song.”

(Order the record here: http://sciotorecords.com/jovan-karcic-2011/.)