Nicole Hale (record release), Bill Baird

For her debut album, Some Kind of Longing, Nicole Hale recruits support from a who’s who of Austin’s indie-folk underground, including Thor Harris, Little Mazarn, and Ethan Azarian. They help shade the gorgeously subtle atmospheric touches to Hale’s songwriting, which wraps a warmness around her longing that makes it feel more sentimental than aching. The artist’s pensive phrasing draws each moment out with a calm savoring; her deep winter tunes reflect forward toward the spring with a patient wisdom. Creative whirlwind Bill Baird opens with the experimental flair of his two 2024 albums, Astral Suitcase and Soundtrack. – Doug Freeman