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Desman’s a song-and-dance man from Toronto’s Portuguese community. Story goes that when he was a pre-schooler, his mum sat little Shawn in front of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video, which he watched repeatedly for years, soaking up much of that showmanship. While Desman clearly has some moves (check out the video for “Get Ready,” his first single), his overall sound owes more to the slickness of the Backstreet Boys than any of Wacko Jacko’s early work. Ultimately, there’s too much sugar-sweet pop and not enough hip-hop influence.

The son of Canadian actor Alan Thicke and American soap star Gloria Lorring is the latest celebrity offspring to embark on a music career. Signed to Babyface’s NuAmerica label, singer-keyboardist Thicke (née Robin Thicke) serves up a smorgasbord on his debut album. “Brand New Jones” swings like Stevie Wonder, while the disco-ish “Alone” recalls Michael Jackson and the funky opening “Oh Shooter” suggests Beck. The title track, which deals with 9/11 (yes, Thicke was also in NYC on the day), rocks like Lenny Kravitz. Eclectic in the extreme.

Shaggy’s lucky day came in 1993 when he recorded a Rastafarian tune called “Oh Carolina,” written by Jamaica’s John Folkes, now an Ontario resident. The song sold more than 600,000 copies in England alone and made Shaggy (born Orville Burrell) an international superstar (Folkes, meanwhile, lost a longstanding court battle with Greensleeves Publishing and Virgin Music for any royalties to his song). Oh Corporations. Shaggy describes his latest album as a “pro-woman” affair. But, with a first single called “Hey Sexy Lady,” it sounds dubious.

Iceland’s most famous musical export after Bjork, Sigur Rós is following Prince into the realm of the bizarre—at least when it comes names (remember Prince’s symbol?). The ambient rock band’s latest album is un-named and represented only by a pair of parentheses. Nor are there any song titles or intelligible lyrics (Jon Por Birgisson sings in glossolalia, a mix of Icelandic lyrics and creative gibberish). But Sigur Rós’ last album, the wonderfully atmospheric Agaetis Byrjun, was a work of such strange beauty that any followup is bound to be worth a listen.

Some bands are one-hit wonders. Others, like Austin, Tex. trio Sixpence None the Richer, are known for two hits: “Kiss Me,” which was featured on TV’s Dawson’s Creek, and their cover of the La’s “There She Goes,” which appeared in the movie Snow Day. With its fourth album (the first since its multi-platinum, self-titled release five years ago), the group hopes to become known for more. Breezy tunes like “Tonight” and “Waiting on the Sun,” featuring Leigh Nash’s breathy vocals and Matt Slocum’s chiming guitar, should do the trick.

There's one thing that separates Chicago’s Syleena Johnson from so many of today’s soul pretenders: raw, honest emotion. Johnson, whose father, r&b vocalist Syl Johnson recorded on the same Hi label as the Rev. Al Green, sings with such gritty conviction, that it’s impossible to doubt her. “Faithful to You” and “Guitars of the Heart” are dreamy, romantic numbers, while “Guess What” reads the riot act to a lazy lover. But Johnson is at her provocative best on sexy, steamy numbers like “No Words” and “Tonight I’m Gonna Let Go.” Red hot.

The Toronto-born r&b diva’s star seems destined to soar higher with her third album. Now part of Clive Davis’ J Records, a stable that includes Alicia Keys, Angie Stone and Luther Vandross, Cox has the thoroughbred backing of hit-makers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who co-wrote two songs with her: the soulful “Hurts So Much” and the sultry “Up and Down (In & Out).” Already multi-tasking, with an acting career that includes starring roles in the movie Love Come Down and on TV’s Nash Bridges, Cox may in fact be headed for pop’s stratosphere.

Maybe Jakob Dylan’s just spent too much time listening to the Travelling Wilburys. How else to explain why the 32-year-old musician comes across like a hybrid of his father and Tom Petty? The latest Wallflowers’ album—the band’s fourth—is a marked improvement over previous efforts, with a surplus of both thoughtful ballads and rousing rockers that express a belief in better times to come. “This has not been the greatest year for anybody, really,” explains Dylan. “On these songs I really tried to be hopeful.” Sounds more like Tom than Bob, actually.

Her life has long been the subject of gossip and rumours—about her rocky marriage to Bobby Brown, her alleged drug abuse and massive weight loss—in the tabloid press. But now the troubled diva is battling back. “Whatchulookinat,” the first single from her new album, takes a swipe at the media. “You’re telling lies on me,” she sings over a mid-tempo groove, “trying to dirty up Whitney’s name.” It’s a limp counter-attack. And news that she’s recorded a version of the Debby Boone ballad “You Light Up My Life” doesn’t bode any better. Sad, really.

The Manchester-born, Welsh-raised Gray has been quietly winning fans for years with his bright, intelligent and tuneful songs. After opening for stadium rockers Radiohead and Dave Matthews Band in the mid-1990s, Gray self-financed his fourth release, White Ladder, a stirring acoustic album that drew rave reviews on both sides of the Atlantic. His latest is even better: a collection of quiet, unaffected pop gems like the melodic “Caroline,” the slow, soulful “Freedom” and the Dylan-like “Last Boat to America.” Gently delivered, but deeply affecting.