Four of my favorite female artists just released new albums–and they are each fabulous. Each represents a wonderful musical elaboration of their unique sound, the progression and growth we all hope to hear after gaps in new work.

Lisa Hannigan’s Passenger stays true to her velvet-smooth story lyrics and strings-enriched melodies; Sarah Jaffe’s The Way Sound Leaves a Room is haunting, captivating, and offers a retelling of “Clementine”–one of my favorite songs from her previous album. It’s a song worth revisiting–and I’m not sure this album would be the same without the retelling.

Katie Herzig’s The Waking Sleep is bold, developed, and a bit of a departure from her sometimes shyly-spun sound. And Feist–she’s back, gorgeous as ever–thrilling, epic, and talented beyond belief. Metals is the complex culmination of her genius, a masterpiece I couldn’t have ever imagined.

So, thank you October! My ears are very grateful.