Echo Scale™: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
David Delinquent is back not that he ever really left. When he’s not tearing it up with The I.O.U’s or chewing over scene politics and punk history on the Football, Beer and Punk Rock Podcast, the man’s in his element: making music on his own terms. Following up his gritty, acoustic-heavy Scared to Spend EP, Against The Herd arrives as a focused middle finger to discrimination, and a reminder that punk’s not dead it’s just recording itself in a mate’s living room between festival slots.
Recorded entirely solo (yes, even the “full band” version), David’s latest effort shows clear evolution from the lo-fi charm of Scared to Spend. While that EP was a campfire confessional about being broke, burned out, and disillusioned with late-stage capitalism, Against The Herd swings in with its boots on, a rallying cry with more bite and broader intent.
One Man, Two Takes: Acoustic Intimacy vs. Full-Throttle Fury
Let’s get one thing clear: Against The Herd may come in two flavours, but both are cut from the same bruised cloth. The acoustic version keeps things stripped and direct just Delinquent, his guitar, and a sense of weary defiance. It’s the spiritual cousin to Get Old, Get Dead from the last EP, and fans of his unplugged honesty will find plenty to chew on here.
But it’s the so-called “full band” version that really sparks. Despite being entirely self-recorded, the mix has a surprising amount of body. A big, chunky opening riff kicks the doors off, followed by fast-paced, tightly played punk rhythm work. And it moves not in a polished studio-punk way, but in that raw, elbows-out, crowd-surfing-on-a-wet-floor kinda way.
Vocals: Grit That Cuts Through the Noise
David’s voice remains one of his strongest weapons. There’s no gloss, no smoothing the edges. It’s rough, weathered, and very much lived in the sonic equivalent of boots that have done a few miles. On Against The Herd, that vocal grit adds urgency to the message. The track doesn’t preach, it growls. It doesn’t ask for change, it dares it. And somehow, that lived-in delivery lands with more sincerity than any perfectly tuned vocal track ever could.
There’s also a nice addition here backing vocals from Jim Russell of the Bucky Bombs, who gives the chorus a bit more body without overpowering the DIY charm. Gang vocals? Not quite. But it’s enough to make you picture fists in the air and boots on sticky floors.
Simple, Direct, and Bloody Effective
Let’s be honest: David Delinquent isn’t trying to reinvent punk rock here. And thank fuck for that. Against The Herd is simple, direct, and well executed. The playing is tight, the arrangement smartly paced, and the lyrics hit with just enough venom to leave a mark. It’s not overproduced, over-layered, or unnecessarily clever it’s punk the way your older brother used to tell you it sounded, before Spotify got its mitts on everything.
Sam Bustard’s review of Scared to Spend gave it ★★★✮ (3.8) on the Echo Scale™, praising David’s “no-frills, no-bullshit” attitude but noting that some tracks like the title one felt a touch skin-deep or slightly off in production. Here, those kinks are ironed out. The title track this time doesn’t stumble in; it kicks through the door and demands your attention.
A Growing Artist Who Still Won’t Sit Still
What’s impressive is how Against The Herd builds on what came before without abandoning the things that made us pay attention in the first place. The same raw honesty, the same cynicism-tuned heart, the same sense of urgency but now with sharper teeth.
David’s decision to drop this track mid-festival circuit only adds to its urgency. With appearances at Punx Vs Alzheimer’s, Back Doune The Rabbit Hole, a Rebellion fringe show, and Rebellion Festival itself, this isn’t just a studio experiment. It’s a shout from a man embedded in the very culture he’s writing about. And it’s a message that’ll ring out loud from any stage with half-decent monitors.
Final Thoughts: Still Raw, Still Relevant
Against The Herd isn’t polished. It isn’t mainstream-friendly. It doesn’t need a radio edit. And that’s exactly why it works.
Where Scared to Spend felt like David Delinquent opening his journal, Against The Herd feels like him standing on a table and yelling at the pub. And frankly, we’re all ears.
Echo Scale™: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
David Delinquent’s latest is a fast-paced, no-bullshit anthem for anyone who’s ever felt like the world didn’t quite want them in it. And if that’s not punk, what is?
Want more? David’s not slowing down anytime soon. Keep your eyes peeled for The I.O.U’s autumn single if this solo track is any indication, the best might still be ahead.
