2011 wasn’t necessarily a year for splashy debuts in music, but instead turned out to be a year of solid records by already-established artists. Many of the artists who made records this year decided to forgo flashy editing software or crazy and experimental exploits, instead choosing to return to their stripped-down roots.

Here are my choices for the best albums of 2011:

Mylo Xyloto by Coldplay. Released in October, Coldplay’s latest album sounds very similar to most recent release, Viva La Vida, but I’ll never understand why sounding like yourself is a bad thing. The band continues to make memorable songs with catchy riffs and synthesizer up the wazoo. They learn to restrain their ambitious tendencies, however, for a poignant, ‘90s throwback song called “Paradise.”

The King is Dead by The Decemberists. In one of the first releases of the year—January—the Portland super group went away from its rock opera concepts, complex lyrical storytelling and maniacal instrumentation for an album that sounded like it came from the backwoods somewhere. The song “Rise to Me” is nice, and it isn’t trying to be anything more than that.

Thao & Mirah. Self-titled album. Thao & Mirah’s collaboration is certainly a welcome one that I hope will continue for many albums to come. Mirah is certainly more reserved and more lyrically-based, while Thao seems more spontaneous and boisterous. The coming together of the two disparate artists makes each one better—calmer or wilder, more adventurous and tamer.

Last Night on Earth. Noah & the Whale. Lead singer Charlie Fink broke up with his long-term girlfriend this year, an event that gave him the material for this fantastic new album. Combining an ear for 1960’s British pop with a proclivity for romantic anthems, Last Night on Earth should turn out to be a quintessential phoenix rising from the broken heart ashes album, for the early 2000’s, at least.

The Rip Tide. Beirut. Like The Decemberists, Beirut certainly perfected the art of simplicity on their newest album. Forgoing staples of their older recordings—perhaps some could call them crutches—the band created an album that sound like old standards. Most of the album seems rooted in old-school Americana, so be warned that The Rip Tide doesn’t offer a world tour like the band’s older stuff does.

Wild Flag. Self-titled album. This riot grrrl-alum super group has not disappointed with its guitar-laden melodies and harmonies reminiscent of ‘60’s doo-wop. Wild Flag contains a roster of the veritable superstars of Northwest folk and punk including Sleater-Kinney’s Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss, Mary Timony and Rebecca Cole. That line-up alone means that you should give them a listen.