Al Nicol Announces New Album 'Only Hoping' Out October 2; New Single "Missing You" Out Now

Produced by Hiss Golden Messenger, Only Hoping Features Erin Rae, Members of Bonny Light Horseman, & a Cosmic Origin Story as Surprising as It Is Moving

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Al Nicol (aka – Alex Nicol), the Nashville-based Canadian singer-songwriter known for his raw emotional honesty and crystalline vocals, today announces Only Hoping, his luminous debut album due October 2. The announcement arrives alongside the release of “Missing You,” a stirring second single that captures Nicol’s gift for blending personal intimacy with universal resonance. A gently cascading meditation on longing for the idealized version of someone once loved, “Missing You” follows the warmly received June debut single “You and Me” featuring Erin Rae.

Produced by MC Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger (Merge) and recorded in Durham, North Carolina, Only Hoping is a 10-song journey through love, grief, and spiritual surrender. The album layers Nicol’s evocative folk/psych-Americana with organic textures from an all-star band featuring members of Bonny Light Horseman and guest vocals and guitar from Taylor himself. It builds off the success Nicol is experiencing with “Bridge Back to Me” (Acoustic) on TikTok, where the sound has gone viral countless times and is currently trending with over 5,000 creates.

“I was in a place of fear and disconnection when I began writing this album,” says Nicol. “But, working with MC and this incredible community of musicians gave me the confidence to trust my instincts and write from a place of real emotional honesty. I think you can hear that journey in every note.”

The road to Only Hoping reads like a modern folk tale: after a shaman and psychic—both unaware of each other—told Nicol he was destined to make life-changing music with a teacher he hadn’t yet met, he sent a hopeful message to MC Taylor. To his surprise, the cult indie folk artist replied, drawn to Nicol’s voice and songwriting. Their resulting collaboration, guided by a series of uncanny affirmations, became Only Hoping.

The album features JT Bates (drums) and Cameron Ralston (bass) – the rhythm section of Bonny Light Horseman – who deftly supported and expanded Nicol’s songs. Contributions also came from Josh Kaufman (Bonny Light Horsemen), Rich Hinman (St Vincent), Erin Rae, MC Taylor, Sam Fribush (Hiss Golden Messenger), Al Bingham (Hiss Golden Messenger), and Karen Strittmatter Galvin of the North Carolina Symphony. Nicol and Taylor travelled to the Mojave Desert to mix the record with Nicolas Verhnes (Deerhunter, Dirty Projectors) with mastering done by Joe LaPorta (Miley Cyrus, The Marias).

Now based in Nashville, Nicol will support Only Hoping with select festival appearances this summer, including Ottawa’s CityFolk Festival and Canmore Folk Fest, followed by a U.S. East Coast tour in fall 2025.

Listen to “Missing You”
Pre-save Only Hoping: https://ditto.fm/only-hoping
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(Al Nicol; photo credit: Alysse Gafkjen)