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The All-Stars became the subject of a moving, award-winning documentary championed by Aerosmith’s Joe Perry and others. Formed in the war-torn refugee camps of West Africa, with equipment donated by Canadian relief agency CECI, the band plays a charming mix of roots reggae and highlife music on buoyant, life-affirming tracks such as the Peter Tosh-like “Bull to the Weak” and the effervescent “Soda Soap.” Having witnessed unspeakable horrors, the group is living proof of music’s healing powers. Sept. 26

Following Stars’ Amy Millan, Haines is the latest Canadian indie diva to fly solo. Where Millan opted for a boozy country album, the Metric singer has gone for a potent, late-night lounge record. Dreamy piano ballads like “Doctor Blind,” “Reading in Bed” and “The Last Page” have a deliciously narcotic effect, while “Our Hell,” “The Lottery’ and the Neil Young response “The Maid Needs a Maid” offer dark and humorous messages. Wildly original, this hypnotic debut seems destined to make Haines an even bigger star. Sept. 26

Pitched somewhere between Lady Sovereign and The Streets’ Mike Skinner, Allen is the latest raunchy ragamuffin from England to reach these shores. Although her ska-inflected music has all the longevity of a summer Popsicle, songs like the sunny “Smile” and the carnival-like “LDN” (text-speak for London) are undeniably cool and sweet diversions. Meanwhile, tougher numbers like “Knock ’Em Out” and “Not Big” prove that boorish, undersized lads are best advised to steer clear of this whip-smart, 21-year-old firecracker. Sept. 19

Its record label cites Arcade Fire and The Flaming Lips as reference points, but this fey English pop band lacks both passion and theatricality. Clearly, the group has epic-pop pretensions, having enlisted producer Trevor Horn (Frankie Goes to Hollywood). But, despite sweeping melodies and the boy-girl harmonies of Rik Flynn and Clare Szembek, songs like “Frontline,” “Glorious” and “East, West, North, South” amount to empty dramatic gestures. Ultimately, with its ship well adrift, this Captain deserves a mutiny.   Sept. 19

Some found the duet with her dead father creepy, while cynics saw it as crass nostalgia. But Nat “King” Cole’s daughter has long proven herself a gifted singer in her own right. Although best known as a jazz-pop vocalist, this album is a return to her r&b roots, with Cole covering Aretha Franklin’s “Day Dreaming” and The Isley Brothers’ “Don’t Say Goodbye.” The standout track is her deep-soul rendition of Etta James’ “Lovin’ Arms,” but she also bravely tackles pop hits by Fiona Apple, Kate Bush and Shelby Lynne. Sept. 19

Early on, Molly seemed unsinkable: a child star in musicals, then a successful new waver and art rocker in Toronto’s Queen Street scene. As a jazz chanteuse, however, she missed the wave that took Diana Krall and Cassandra Wilson to the top. Things changed with her last album, the classy Another Day, which became a huge hit in France. Johnson’s star will likely go supernova with her latest, a mix of funky, campy originals like “Northern Star” and “If You Know Love” and cool covers of Gershwin, Springsteen and Prince. Sept. 19

None of them are Brazilian and only one is a girl, but this NYC quartet almost defies description. Led by vocalist Sabina Sciubba, the Girls mix electro, dub, pop, punk and dance music into a global stew like no other. The group’s second album is the perfect soundtrack for an airport lounge, featuring noir-ish tales of tourists, territories, tanks and sweatshops sung in various languages. In fact, Sciubba sings in English, German, French and Spanish, no less, on the title track and the opening “Jique.” A jet-setter’s wet dream. Sept. 12

BARK is to roots music what the New Pornographers are to power pop: a superb Canadian indie supergroup. Stephen Fearing, Colin Linden and Tom Wilson clearly have way too much fun singing together, as evidenced by bluesy original “Life is Golden,” new country nugget “Crown of Thorns” and joyful pub rocker “That’s What I Like,” to do just the solo thing. Despite a guest appearance by country star Pam Tillis, the album highlight is the group’s moving treatment of Daniel Lanois’ exquisite “House of Soul.” Sept. 12

Like Norah Jones, Peyroux inhabits a world that might be called near jazz: lots of blue notes and a bit of swing, but not nearly enough jazz-like daring. Still, there’s an appealing fragility in Peyroux ’s voice, which often gets compared to greats like Billie Holiday and Bessie Smith. Her vulnerability is well-suited to Fred Neil’s escapist “Everybody’s Talkin’” and Charlie Chaplin’s brave “Smile.” And her gentle phrasing provides the perfect glide to kd lang’s magnificent push on Joni Mitchell’s skating classic “River.”  Sept. 12

Cuddy forever sealed his place in the Canadian pop pantheon with his oh-so-sweet vocal on Blue Rodeo’s 1987 hit “Try.” That high, keening tenor serves as the mellifluous counterpart to Greg Keelor’s scruffier alto. Here, on Cuddy’s sophomore solo release, it’s heard on the choruses to the title track and “All I Need.” Elsewhere, Cuddy croons in mid-register on the piano ballad “Pull Me Through” and on the melancholic “What She Said.” And country vixen Kathleen Edwards chimes in on the honky-tonkin’ “Married.” Sept. 12