On Nov. 13, local rapper Chris Mosher, who performs as Preacher vs. Choir, released his latest album “The Coming of Age Ritual.” Self-produced, it's a calibrated F-U to the powers that be, full of subversion and a healthy distrust of authority that, according to his Bandcamp profile, "is a story about an angry and disenchanted young man reluctantly carving his way into adulthood.”
He starts off, "If you feel revolted / We're successful with our mission,” on the LP's opener “Better Than Ever” with frustration stuffed into wordy bars that scramble over organs and programmed drums. It's a defensive stance; he's drawing a line in the sand but he doesn't sound menacing. Not yet, not here.
He steps up the intensity on “Zombies” though, his aggressive anti-capitalism slant, entertaining the romantic idea of overthrowing big banks and rebelling against the police who serve them. It's not a new concept but it is current. A spin on the Occupy movement with Mosher picking up where the old guard left off.
Mosher's lost faith in the system as it promised a lot but so far has yet to deliver. Naturally, he's upset by that and it all comes to a head on “Last Days,” with his resentment erupting into angry jabs: “How you gonna live in a world this f—ed up / And not ask any questions / It's a sick, slow death / So they want you to believe that there's no time left/ But until our last breath / We will hunt the enemy until they're laid to rest.”
It's a slow purge, “The Coming of Age Ritual,” as he shares indignation and discomfort. But it's all worth it since you sometimes have to do a little heavy lifting to clear a proper path.
J. Smith, aka 1019, is a San Diego native, rap fan and one half of the rap duo Parker & the Numberman. You can follow him on Instagram at 1019_the_numberman or on Twitter