Goya Dress

An all-but-unearthed jewel of the Nude Records stable in the mid-'90s, the short-lived Scottish trio Goya Dress consisted of Astrid Williamson (guitar, vocals, piano), Terry de Castro (bass), and Simon Pearson (drums). The three EPs released just prior to their lone LP in 1996 were the calm before the storm provided by the John Cale-produced Rooms, one of that year's finest alternative pop releases. Hardly any recognition from the British press and no distribution outside of the U.K. left the band hamstrung, but a small following developed throughout their homeland and random nooks across the globe, thanks to occasional live appearances and word of mouth. Elegant arrangements with twisted delicacy, subtle yet striking lyricism, and the gorgeous voice of Williamson elevated the band above their press-supported, chart-topping peers of the time. Internal tensions and label pressure on Williamson to go solo led to the group's disbandment before a follow-up came to fruition. She eventually went solo as Astrid, while de Castro and Pearson joined up with David Gedge's Cinerama.
© Andy Kellman /TiVo