Wes Carroll Confabulation Talks About Their New EP & Expounds On Music Upbringing

Intro:

In today’s interview article, we have Canadian band Wes Caroll Confabulation after just releasing the new EP titled “The Capitalocene” this month. Since 2015, the group has always fused tons of different genres that range from Hip-Hop, Soul, Jazz, and more. With the power of incredible music, the group does a great job at tackling real-world subject matter in their tracks as well. Wes, himself, has focused on sharpening his sound & craft through side projects like “Wes plays Wes”, a tribute to Wes Montgomery, and “PIGS: Canada's Most Authentic Pink Floyd Tribute”, where he performs as Roger Waters. Before reading our brief conversation, make sure you check out the group’s new project below.

Me: How'd you get inspired while making this new record? What’s your process like?

Wes: This is the most hip-hop release I've put out so far. My previous records have one and a half rap songs; this one has much more. I wrote "Capitalocene" and "Apolitical" within weeks of each other, with "It's Our Turn" coming a few months later. It was early 2024, and the horrors of Israel's genocide in Gaza were overwhelming and heartbreaking.

As a young person, rap music got me through some tough times. Back then, it was a life raft. This time it came to me as courage—a way to find words for the moment. For eight years, I worked at a hotel playing mostly background music a few times a month. To keep myself entertained, I started learning slide guitar and putting it over hip hop beats, using an octave pedal to play bass lines on guitar. I owe those working gigs for giving me the time to learn slide guitar and to experiment with merging it with rap.

I was reading Federici's The Caliban and the Witch. That book inspired "It's Our Turn" in a big way. It helped me feel more connected to ancestors who fought systems of oppression from feudal times to the present. It helped me realize that our current struggles against oligarchic capitalism are similar in many ways to peasant struggles against lords and kings. We stand on the shoulders of giants, but most of those giants are ordinary people whose names will never be known in history. Writing the song helped me feel more comfortable in the place I am in my life, and to accept that change is slow and may only be incremental in my lifetime. It's our turn to hold the torch and be good ancestors to the next generations.

How would you describe your music to someone who’s never heard it before? Has it evolved?

I wrote the start of my band's bio over 10 years ago. That line about how we walk the tightrope between detailed arrangements and the power of spontaneity remains true for our live shows. This EP is more of a studio recording with less spontaneity and more detailed multitracking.

Here's what I love about recording: you can add layers that are tough to pull off live. Multiple rhythm guitar parts with different tones are panned hard right and left for a full stereo sound. Simple melodies on the vibraphone that bring a shimmer to the mix. Those are the kinds of details I can't resist.

I grew up on hip hop, so even when I'm writing soul or indie music, I can't help but throw in lots of internal rhymes and similar vowel sounds like a rapper would. I also did a master's in jazz performance at the University of Toronto. Harmony is a constant exploration. I like following my ear, which often leads to pretty standard chord progressions, but my deep love for jazz has brought different chords into my vocabulary. Think of it as a familiar road with a few new turns. That combination gives my music a unique flavor. I love using harmonic tension either to take the song somewhere new or to reinforce what the lyrics are saying.

We just turned 11! So yes, the music has changed over time, along with my approach to recording. I've added new skills and aesthetics to recording and have grown as a singer through gigging and voice lessons. Improvisation remains in the music, though. We're playing the same genres, just with a twist.

What does the title mean to you, and how did you choose it?

The Capitalocene is an alternative to the simplistic "Anthropocene" that helps to explain the story of how Capitalism has changed the planet. The Capitalocene is in our own consumerist psychology just as much as it's expressed in imperialism, trade agreements, and social alienation. As I say in the chorus - "it runs on lithium and coal and steam and souls and dreams and public debt. And it's on for $4.99, so head right down to your local convenience store".

Academics / activists like Andreas Malm and Jason W. Moore have been using the term and developing its theory for years. It's a powerful word that nods to uncountable stories of class struggle while telling us what needs to be done.

What was the most difficult aspect of making this new record for you?

Honestly, all of the logistics to have it mixed, take photos, submit to playlists, and such. The writing happened in a few inspired sessions where time stood still. The 'releasing' was where the work started, but I'm so glad to have done it.

That makes sense! Additionally, what does your life look like outside of music? Any hobbies or things fans may not expect?

I'm two years into recovering from a herniated disk, so my life has had some shifts. Recovery is going well, but it’s pace has been a patient teacher. It's taught me a lot about patience and wellness.

Outside of music, I coordinate a couple of music schools in Southern Vancouver Island. I love music education. One highlight from this past year was working with faculty to bring hip hop into many local middle schools.

Community plays a big part in my life. We have an amazing arts and activist scene here on Lekwungen territory in Victoria, BC. I've been hosting a participatory open mic for the past 11 months called the Commie Bop. It's a monthly gathering where folks share art for liberation, solidarity, and justice. Each month, we partner with a different organization and raise some funds for them. Community organizing and music rest in the center of my heart, so it's been life-giving to find ways to combine them. I also sit on a couple of social justice-oriented boards in town.

And I'm lucky to have an enchanted and kind partner. Each year, we go on a sailing trip, and we have other travel plans coming up.

Was there a specific moment in time when you realized music was your calling? Or more of a natural progression?

I've loved music ever since I was a toddler. Playing in bands in high school was a key turning point that led me to a fork in the road at 17. I had to decide whether to study political science or jazz at university. It was a super difficult choice, but once I made it, I dove in headfirst. That decision took me into full music immersion: nine or so classes per term, almost all of them music-related. I gave myself to the program completely. Four years later, I returned to my hometown with a new perspective on the art and the craft.

Furthermore, are there any upcoming releases or plans you're comfortable sharing with readers?

I'd like to record another all-vocal album like Helium (2024) and, for the first time, an all-instrumental album. I've been writing and have almost enough music for both. Those won't come out any time soon, though. After the release, I need to regroup and let those projects simmer before they're ready.

And finally, in your own words, why should a new listener check out this new release today?

This EP was written quickly in a few passionate sessions, then shaped and curated through a slow, thoughtful process. I believe in its musicality, production, and message. We need art for liberation, and I hope this release can inspire other artists to show that another world is possible. It's aimed to be accessible and unique at the same time - holding up a mirror to the moment while clearing some floor space for a dance party. That's the pulse I wanted to groove with: something that speaks and moves at the same time.