Lauren Passarelli has recently unveiled her new single “Big Blue Machine,” marking another milestone in her extensive musical career. Known as a gifted multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, producer, recording engineer, arranger, Beatles expert, author, and music professor, Lauren pours her heart into creating original music that she calls “sound paintings.” This latest release showcases her full range of skills and experience, as she independently wrote, performed, arranged, produced, recorded, and mixed the song, offering listeners a deeply personal and artistically rich musical experience.
The title track, “Big Blue Machine,” is an especially personal song that underscores Lauren’s collaborative spirit. The lyrics were crafted by her longtime friend Stefanie Badach-Mis, who wrote them remotely, mailing them from New Jersey while Lauren composed the music on tour in New Hampshire. This exchange, occurring before the era of email, highlights their deep artistic connection. Their collaboration inspired the memorable line “making art on paper wings and music on the wire,” which Lauren values deeply as a reflection of their creative bond.
Another significant piece on the album is “Powerman,” a setting of a poem by friend Kate Chadbourne. The poem was inspired by a warm encounter with a utility worker and reflects themes of human connection and openness. Kate enriches the album further by playing piano on four tracks, joined by drummer Jay Bradley and bassist Mike Bishop, both longtime collaborators, making the recording process a joyous journey with close friends.
Lauren’s music uniquely balances technology and emotion, allowing her to blend live instrumentation with inventive sound effects recorded in everyday settings. Dubbed a “Sound Explorer,” she incorporates unconventional sounds, such as pine cones, geese, streams, frogs, and even a shopping cart button, into her arrangements to create rich, textured soundscapes. For example, the track “Tell Me What You’ve Found” features a shopping cart sound seamlessly woven into the music, showcasing her creativity and attention to detail.
Musically, Lauren’s versatility shines through her performance on guitar, bass, drums, piano, and vocals, with a stylistic range rooted in pop/rock but heavily influenced by legendary artists like The Beatles, James Taylor, Fleetwood Mac, and Stevie Wonder. This influence is evident in the melodies, chord progressions, and vocal delivery throughout the album.
“Big Blue Machine” explores personal stories and emotions such as grief, loss, love, and creative perseverance. Songs like “Find A Way” reflect compassion through the tragedy of losing a close friend’s wife at a young age, while “Wait For Me” explores the nonlinear journey of healing. Meanwhile, “Write My Song” touches on creativity and longing during the pandemic, and “Million Ways” expresses gratitude and love. The album also includes instrumental pieces inspired by jazz greats and features heartfelt vocal performances, such as on “I Miss You,” enhanced by George Harrison-style slide guitar.
Finally, Lauren’s deep expertise as a producer and recording engineer is evident throughout the album, which she mixed using her cherished Audient 4816 console. Her experience as a music professor at Berklee College since 1984, combined with her years touring with Beatles tribute bands, informs her meticulous and inspired work. Recording mostly at home, Lauren continues her lifelong passion for sound exploration and music-making, creating albums that are intimate, layered, and artfully crafted. “Big Blue Machine” stands as a testament to her unique musical voice, rich emotional depth, and artistic innovation.
Listen Here: open.spotify.com/album/6uDAUsu
