I’ve probably mentioned in reviews that hip-hop in Twin Ports has grown noticeably in the last decade and in recent years shows can be found regularly. While I’ve been out and about at shows in the area, the rapper Bliss became a familiar face on the stage. His freestyle work was always impressive and his flow and delivery of words ranges from smooth to machine gun fast.
The soon to be released, “The Most Important Things In Life Are Invisible,” is the fourth album by Bliss (David Kittelson). He has been featured in a number of tracks by other local rappers, worked with the project Modern Gentlemen and also released the experimental full length album, “Reincarnation,” with the project Bliss & Sitter. This new album manages to touch on a lot of issues, some of them serious, yet makes a point without getting too negative although it’s a balancing act at times.
While the album is mostly positive it carries a realistic view and messages about life’s struggle that push a little deep. The first track and single off of the album, “The Most Important Things In Life Are Invisible,” sets the tone for the album. The title of the song pretty much sums it up and the theme of holding on to inner spirituality and peace and the weight and expectation of making it physically and materialistically comes up several times on the album.
The next track, “Sometimes When I Wake Up,” features samples of the former Superior resident and vocalist, Christine Hoberg, who now lives out in New York. Her vocals on the track are intimately layered in a way that is fascinating and quite pretty. She is one of several featured local artists on this album including Suzy Q and Preston Gunderson. The thing that is interesting about the album is that almost every track was created with a different producer. This approach turned out well because the feel of the album changes from song to song, yet as a whole it fits together.
Other samples include the country artist Porter Wagoner’s “Another Day Another Dollar.” Bliss’ take on the song expands the original country version quite a bit but it still carries the same message. It’s more or less a song about wage slavery but Bliss weighs out working for minimum wage and the work put into creating music for little or nothing. “I’d rather do what I love and be poor my whole life than make a lot of money doing something I don’t like/I’ve won battles and lost some fights/spent so many nights trying to get my songs right,” goes a part of a verse.
While Bliss does touch on some deeper things, sometimes he takes a more humorous and lighter approach. The track, “Jesus Knew How to Party,” definitely follows this. The first thing Bliss says is, “Let me get some cowbell,” and yes, the cowbell kicks in. “It’s J.C. the original hippie, pissing off the Romans and living risky/Life of the party even after he’s dead, but he never let fame go all to his head.” It seems that Bliss’ intention is that there isn’t necessarily anything wrong with religion, but perhaps some involved in it could lighten up.
With the track, “The War on Drugs,” Bliss takes on the United States’ policies on drugs, especially marijuana. While it’s not uncommon to hear rappers and other music artists unabashedly rap or sing about smoking marijuana or doing drugs, Bliss raps in a verse, “When I talk about drug rights you think it’s a joke/why should I care about this issue when I don’t even smoke?/I’ve seen too many people including innocent friends of mine/put in prison for a victimless crime.”
Towards the end of the album Bliss gets introspective with the track, “My Sweet Dear,” and it addresses personal growth and decisions in life. The track is a little darker than a lot of the material on the album, “I used to get disappointed and treat myself shitty/but now I can’t give in to the regret and self pity/I want to leave from here where no one can come and get me/it feels like forever since I’ve left this city.” Other tracks like “Cardboard Television” stay heavier and touches on Bliss’ history of rapping in the area and raises the question if he’d be better off pursuing music somewhere besides the Twin Ports. “I’m good where I’m at I don’t need to have more, I’ve got the best family and friends that anyone could ask for.” The album ends with the self affirming, “Fall Away.”
“The Most Important Things In Life Are Invisible” is an exceptionally real album that delivers solid rhymes from Bliss and backing tracks that shift in approach with each song. While Bliss comes through with an engaging listening experience, what is perhaps more important is the honesty of this album. There is nothing abstract in the material. He drives his message through crystal clear whether it’s something light and fun or if he’s exposing his true feelings, revelations or experiences.
As far as hip-hop in the Twin Ports goes, Bliss is definitely an artist to make note of as one of the pioneers of this area’s hip-hop scene. He will officially be releasing the new album at Redstar Lounge this Saturday, May 17. He will be joined by and share the stage with Mikey Talented, Legitimit with Eddiedition of Poetic Chains, Preston Gunderson and The Crunchy Bunch.