I'm The Sky: Studio And Demo Recordings / 1964-1971

The reappraisal of Norma Tanegas work in the 2010s and 2020s transformed her reputation from the one-hit wonder of 1966s "Walkin My Cat Named Dog" into a multifaceted singer/songwriter and visual artist. Alongside Real Gone Musics 2020 reissue of her debut album, Walkin My Cat Named Dog, Anthologys 2022 compilation Im the Sky: Studio and Demo Recordings 1964–1971 reveals just how rich her small discography truly is. Sampling from her released and unreleased body of work, Im the Skys first half weaves together songs from 1966s Walkin, 1971s I Dont Think It Will Hurt You If You Smile, and Snow Cycles, Tanegas unreleased 1969 album for Capitol. Forgoing chronological order makes it easier to hear the larger themes in her songs: tenderness and gratitude radiate just as brightly from the billowing folk-pop of Walkin My Cat Named Dogs "Jubilation" as they do from the sweet strings and harmonies of Smiles "Magic Day." She frequently sings about the freedom to live and love on her own terms, and songs such as "Im the Sky" and "Now Is the Time" reflect not only the idealism of the times, but more poignantly, Tanegas perspective as a queer, female artist of color. Juxtaposing songs from her albums also highlights how skillfully she managed to incorporate different sounds into her music without losing her identity. While most of the selections from Walkin My Cat Named Dog reflect the generally breezy tone of the rest of Im the Sky -- "Im Dreamin a Dream" is a quintessential piece of mid-60s folk-pop -- the sardonic tartness of "Youre Dead" and the soul-pop backing vocals on "Walkin My Cat Named Dog" are all the more refreshing. Similarly, several cuts from I Dont Think It Will Hurt If You Smile are steeped in the heady sounds of late-60s London, where Tanega moved to be with her lover Dusty Springfield. "What More in This World Could Anyone" is a piece of ambling psych-rock with intensely wah-wahing guitars, while "A Goodbye Song" bridges singer/songwriter introspection and funky, rollicking pop. Even more intriguing is "When It Touches You, A Snowflake Dies," a tantalizing glimpse of Snow Cycles that melds love and death in a wryly mellow fashion that is pure Tanega. Im the Skys demos also provide some of the collections brightest highlights, and once again, they showcase the breadth of her work. "Sunday Morning"s rippling fingerpicking, "Time Becomes Grey"s jazzy open chords, and "In Between Changes" circular songwriting find Tanega at her most sophisticated, while "My Dog Maggie" and "If I Only Had a Name Like Norma Tanega" (on which she sings "It can rise to the occasion/Even though its not Caucasian") make the most of her charm. A well-deserved, well-conceived collection of Tanegas music, Im the Sky: Studio and Demo Recordings 1964–1971 reveals a wealth of treasures for fans of her music as well as anyone with an appreciation for the eras singer/songwriters. ~ Heather Phares