Great advice about reading outside of genre! Something I constantly promote. But even more great advice, listening to country music as a Goth new wave fan from way back country is actually a newer genre for me and you’re right the storytelling is extraordinary.
Most balladeers (Joel, Springsteen, Mellencamp) show economy of words and squeeze a novel into 5 mins or less; but country writers also have some of the most poetic language. A couple of years back, Jason Aldeen (?) released a song called ‘Tattoos on this Town’ about how everything marks the place we live: tires from drag racing; how the paint doesn’t really erase the graffiti; the tree holds the scars; if those aren’t noir themes…
Great advice about reading outside of genre! Something I constantly promote. But even more great advice, listening to country music as a Goth new wave fan from way back country is actually a newer genre for me and you’re right the storytelling is extraordinary.
Most balladeers (Joel, Springsteen, Mellencamp) show economy of words and squeeze a novel into 5 mins or less; but country writers also have some of the most poetic language. A couple of years back, Jason Aldeen (?) released a song called ‘Tattoos on this Town’ about how everything marks the place we live: tires from drag racing; how the paint doesn’t really erase the graffiti; the tree holds the scars; if those aren’t noir themes…
I need to check that song! Also, i want to add two of my favorite storytellers: Tom Petty and Taylor Swift.