The reappraisal of
Norma Tanega
's work in the 2010s and 2020s transformed her reputation from the one-hit wonder of 1966's "Walkin' My Cat Named Dog" into a multifaceted singer/songwriter and visual artist. Alongside
Real Gone Music
's 2020 reissue of her debut album,
Walkin' My Cat Named Dog
,
Anthology
's 2022 compilation
I'm 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,
I'm the Sky
's first half weaves together songs from 1966's
Walkin'
, 1971's
I Don't Think It Will Hurt You If You Smile
, and Snow Cycles,
Tanega
's 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
's "Jubilation" as they do from the sweet strings and harmonies of
Smile
's "Magic Day." She frequently sings about the freedom to live and love on her own terms, and songs such as "I'm the Sky" and "Now Is the Time" reflect not only the idealism of the times, but more poignantly,
's 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
reflect the generally breezy tone of the rest of
-- "I'm Dreamin' a Dream" is a quintessential piece of mid-'60s folk-pop -- the sardonic tartness of "You're Dead" and the soul-pop backing vocals on "Walkin' My Cat Named Dog" are all the more refreshing. Similarly, several cuts from
I Don't Think It Will Hurt If You Smile
are steeped in the heady sounds of late-'60s London, where
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
.
's demos also provide some of the collection's 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
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 it's not Caucasian") make the most of her charm. A well-deserved, well-conceived collection of
's music,
reveals a wealth of treasures for fans of her music as well as anyone with an appreciation for the era's singer/songwriters. ~ Heather Phares