Conner Youngblood’s music feels like standing at the highest waterfall: Exciting and alluring at the same time, it is quiet and confronts you with your deepest self. His latest album, “Cascades, Cascading, Cascadingly” is no exception. It invites us to step into a world where indie sounds, silky vocals, and acoustic elements converge in a harmonious dance to discuss themes of desire, loneliness, and escape.
Inspired by the word “cascade,” Youngblood has created a captivating collection of songs whose melodies flow like gentle streams, capturing both life’s transitions and its powerful changes. The album’s melodies are as captivating as the natural phenomenon they’re named after, drawing listeners into a world of introspection and emotion.”
In an exclusive conversation with Youngblood, we had the chance to discuss his last release. We dug deep into the concepts floating around his head when creating the album. He also discusses the satisfaction of rediscovering communication through a new language, listening to the ever-loquacious nature, how they played important roles when creating his album, and more. So, let’s dive into the world of “Cascades, Cascading, Cascadingly.” and let Conner Youngblood, the polyglot poet, be your guide.
Can you tell us about its significance, and how it encapsulates the soul of the whole production?
It started out as a fascination with the word “cascade” itself. I forget exactly where it caught my attention, but I had written it down in some notes and kept referring to it throughout the recording process, almost like a mantra of sorts. I tried to tie it into the lyrics and production of the album and eventually, when it came time to name the album, it was really the only word that came to mind. The only issue I had was choosing between cascade, cascades, or cascading…and, with a little artistic license, the word “cascadingly”. I finally just decided to create a cascade out of the word itself.
Given the album’s themes of desire, yearning, and loss, could you discuss the specific experiences or emotions that inspired these songs?
I can think of a couple of specific personal experiences, but most of the songs were based on movies, books, and poetry. I was having some trouble tapping into my own experiences and looked elsewhere—at least for the initial sparks. For instance, some lyrics based on “The Baron of The Trees” by Italo Calvino, a Sofia Kenin French Open tennis match, the 1970 film “Deep End”, and two songs— “Reveille!” and “Oh, when I was in love with you”—have a majority of the lyrics taken from poems by AE Housman. I would try to insert myself into the world of these songs and create a sense of magical realism with my own life.
The album has a fascinating contrast between meticulously crafted, polished songs and raw, honest demos. How do you know a song is ready to be shared with the world?
I just have to trust my own taste and ears. I’m pretty much embarrassed to show anyone anything in progress, and usually don’t really like the songs myself until the very point of them being finished. If I can listen through the entire thing with my eyes closed and just enjoy it, sitting back and smiling, I’ll share it with others.
I’d like to talk about what a day is like for Conner Youngblood as creator. How does the spark start, and how is it shaped into these awesome songs?
Every day starts with a morning exercise routine, all the while trying to multitask and practice languages. Podcasts and YouTube in the background while running, showering, and eating. Then comes an actual language lesson with a teacher for an hour. So now, at this point, I’m free to record for the rest of the day and get it going by putting on the first movie that comes to mind (in the background). I’ll pick up the nearest instrument near me and just start recording until something grabs me. This sometimes takes weeks…but when I get something going it is extremely exciting to see the song come to life.
As a polyglot, you’ve incorporated various languages into “Cascades, Cascading, Cascadingly.” Could you discuss this decision? How did this choice enhance the emotional depth or thematic exploration?
It kind of just came naturally, but at the same time as a little self-inflicted challenge. Since I was getting every morning started by surrounding myself in these languages (and sometimes ending my day with Japanese lessons), I just thought it would be a fun exercise to try and write with them. As I mentioned earlier, I was using movies as inspiration because I was running out of things to say, but with these new languages, it felt like a complete refresh. Brand new words, phrases, and ideas. Plus, it felt like a bit like a safety blanket, writing in a second language. I found myself being able to say some pretty raw and straightforward stuff in Japanese or Spanish. Haven’t tried writing in Russian yet, but maybe next album.
How did incorporating these different languages into the album shape your songwriting process and the overall tone of the music?
As a continuation of the last answer, I would say that it was just extremely freeing to have access to brand-new unlimited wordplay—like painting with new colors. Words and ideas that I could never figure out how to piece together in English all of a sudden make perfect sense in Danish, melodies could be shaped completely differently in Japanese, and emotions could be expressed more straightforwardly in Spanish. Obviously, all of these things can be done in English, but for me, some things just made more sense elsewhere.
How does your passion for wildlife and nature conservation, as a WWF Activist, shape your music? Do you see a relationship between environmental issues and artistic expression?
The last album, Cheyenne, was 100% more nature-oriented and even had songs that tied directly into raising money for nature conservation. Whilst this album is a bit more “from the inside looking out”, versus the last one being a bit more “from the outside looking in”, there is still always something deep down rooted in nature. Movies can only take you so far. Plenty of good hikes, walks, trees, birds, and bugs were involved in the making of this album. I made really good friends with all of the spiders in my room and the wasps around my house and would check on them daily. Conservation starts in your own backyard. I started trying to learn more about the local flora and fauna that surrounded me. I wanted to know the name of every tree in my yard, plus, started identifying all the insects, snakes, plants, etc. I think everyone should get to know the plants and animals they encounter every day. Just knowing the names of a few local trees and birds will get you seeing things differently. It did for me, at least.
How do you hope to connect with listeners through this album, and what kind of experiences do you want to create for them?
I really couldn’t tell someone how to go about listening to this and what experiences to have. I obviously want people to enjoy it but in their own individual ways. Maybe they get to know me better, maybe themselves, maybe it’s just a pleasant walk in the park, who knows.
What are your plans for the future? Are there any specific projects or collaborations you’re excited about?
To be honest, I don’t even know what I am doing tomorrow. Yet, without even a single plan in sight, I’m extremely excited and really looking forward to what’s to come.
photos /Julia Mayorova
CONNER YOUNGBLOOD