Meet Red Cavalry
I love discovering new music. Sometimes I stumble into it through radio, through friends, and streaming services. But lately, social media has played a huge role. I love hearing a new band and thinking, Wait…where have you been?
That was my reaction when I heard “Inland Empire” by Red Cavalry, a band from Aberystwyth, Wales. I heard early R.E.M. I heard The Jam. I heard The Housemartins. I had to learn more about this band.
The members of Red Cavalry met at university in Aberystwyth and played in various bands before forming the group in 2019. The original idea was pretty simple: stay connected after graduation, write some songs and record an album together—even though they were living in different countries. Of course COVID put everything on hold.
A few years later, they came back to those songs, finishing what became their first album, Alas, So Long, in 2025. They've been writing and recording ever since.
And yes, those '80s alternative influences are very much intentional.
In talking with them, the band cites a wide range of influences, from The Beatles and The Beach Boys to Bruce Springsteen and the guitar-driven indie bands of the '80s. I’m glad that they even point to the distinctive sound of the Rickenbacker guitars used by R.E.M. and so many others as part of what gives their music that bright, jangly character.
Red Cavalry record themselves, using whatever equipment they can pull together in bedrooms and living rooms. And what stands out the most is how strongly the band believes in melody.
They jokingly call their musical style "PreRapElite," inspired partly by Pre-Raphaelite artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti, whose work influenced Alas, So Long. But there's a serious philosophy underneath the joke.
"We're the opposite—melody is everything," they told me.
That explains a lot.
Their songs are layered with melodic guitar parts, bass lines, backing vocals and hooks. Bands like the aforementioned R.E.M. and The Beach Boys, along with The Smiths are examples of bands that could tackle complicated ideas while still writing songs you couldn't get out of your head.
That combination of smart lyrics and great melodies is something I think has been missing from a lot of modern alternative music. While lots of bands approach their songs from an autobiographical angle, Red Cavalry focus on characters and stories within the songs.
Sometimes a song starts with an idea, a feeling or even a single line. Other times, the music comes first and the story develops around it. That gives their lyrics a literary quality, with characters who aren't always reliable narrators and stories that reveal a little more with each listen. It's also why their music feels like it belongs to that old college-radio tradition. You can simply enjoy the melody—or you can dig a little deeper.
I asked the band what they hoped listeners who grew up with labels like Creation and Rough Trade would hear in Red Cavalry.
Their answer summed it up pretty well: they want to make alternative rock with "pop sensibilities at heart" - music that's interesting enough to reward repeat listens but melodic enough that you'll find yourself humming it later.
If, like me, you're new to Red Cavalry, the band recommends three songs:
"Inland Empire" – Their newest single and a good indication of where the band is heading, with stacked vocal melodies and some experimentation with song structure.
"Give Me a Sign" – Probably the best starting point if you want to hear their love of melody, bass-driven arrangements and classic pop instincts.
"Unread Books" – A tender, shimmering song that highlights the band's jangly guitars, acoustic textures and character-driven lyrics.
Red Cavalry's new compilation, Popaganda, collects their singles and newer material. It was released for pre-order August 7 through their Bandcamp, with the full release scheduled for October 2.
The band is also considering playing live shows in Wales and around the UK. After spending much of the past 18 months recording remotely and sometimes never even being in the same room, they're finally in a position to start thinking about playing together. And eventually, they'd love to make it to the United States. I’ll be first in line if they make it to the DC area.
Sometimes the best thing about discovering a new band isn't hearing something you've never heard before, it's hearing something that reminds you exactly why you fell in love with music in the first place. Red Cavalry did that for me.
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