“Love’s Grove” is the name of the road in Worcester where Ben’s studio is located, and thus where much of the music from this album was borne.
The haunting desolation of “Aftermath” draws inspiration from the fields where the Battle of Worcester took place in 1651.
Elsewhere, Ben paints vivid dreamscapes of summer storms, winter thaw, and imagined vistas.
The opening piece “First Rain of Summer” is an energetic cloudburst of vibrant harmonies and tonal colour. “The Snow is Melting” begins with an icy trickle that builds to a joyous stream of interweaving arpeggios until finally it subsides into the gentle warmth of spring.
The title piece “Rainbow Hill” refers to the hill of the same name that overlooks the road on which Ben lives.
“Due to the location and height of the hill, rainbows are a common occurrence here, especially in the late afternoon and early evening. Almost always, they radiate against a backdrop of the dark grey clouds that have just passed over, resulting in a spellbinding atmosphere of petrichor, soft golden light, and darkness defeated by triumphant colour.
I think, in essence, “Songs from Rainbow Hill” is an album about optimism and fond reminiscence. I see each piece as a different way to centre myself - to appreciate what I have in that moment.
To me, it just feels like home.”
© , Ben Crosland.