Recorded predominantly across one week in November 2025, the record which “carries forward the spirit of the original” HELP album was formed under the stewardship of acclaimed producer James Ford and was brought to life through a close collaboration with Abbey Road Studios
HELP (2) includes contributions from Anna Calvi, Arctic Monkeys, Arlo Parks, Arooj Aftab, Bat For Lashes, Beabadoobee, Beck, Beth Gibbons, Big Thief, Black Country, New Road, Cameron Winter, Damon Albarn, Depeche Mode, Dove Ellis, Ellie Rowsell, English Teacher, Ezra Collective, Foals, Fontaines D.C., Graham Coxon, Greentea Peng, Grian Chatten, Kae Tempest, King Krule, Nilüfer Yanya, Olivia Rodrigo, Pulp, Sampha, The Last Dinner Party, Wet Leg and Young Fathers.
In addition to the musicians taking part, renowned filmmaker and Academy Award Winner Jonathan Glazer acted as Creative Director for HELP(2), working with Academy Films to oversee filming and art direction for the project.
A press release reads: “Glazer and Mica Levi’s concept was simple – “By Children, For Children” – with his team handing the cameras over to children in order to see the world through their eyes and serve as a constant reminder of the reason for the endeavor to the audience and all involved.
“Each child operated their own small camera and was invited into the studios to film the artists recording without any restrictions. In addition, Glazer’s team worked with fixers and filmmakers in Ukraine, Gaza, Yemen and Sudan to gather footage filmed by children on the ground in these conflict zones. The results are a stunning piece of work that, ultimately, connects the album to the children the music seeks to help”.
Crumbs! Just realised it’s 30 frickin’ years since the last one…
What? No … kinell.
Might be time to admit I’m an old duffer now.
30 years, surely not
(checks date stamp on CD) … oh
I remember the first one came out so fast they didn’t have time to do a cover. It was printed in the NME I believe to cut out and place in the jewel case.
I bought a copy of the CD in a charity shop last year (yes, I already have a copy) and that was tucked inside.
I am intrigued to hear Olivia Rodrigo covering The Magnetic Fields & Fontaines DC cover my favourite Sinead O’Connor song.
I am staggered it is 30 years since the original was released. I still have a soft spot for Tom Petty Loves Veruca Salt by Terrorvision
30 years! Digging out CD of the first HELP album to have a listen.
From memory, it was a genuinely good album with most involved putting together or contributing something at short notice worth hearing.
Apart from The Stone Roses, who I loved and still do generally, just trundling out an inferior rather dreary live in-studio version of the mighty Love Spreads.
To be fair, inspiration within the band after John Squire’s recent exit at the time was somewhat lacking…
Turns out it was drummer Reni who’d left The Stone Roses at the time.
John Squire did the album cover artwork, so that was a good contribution…
Depeche Mode’s entry is only their 4th ever cover version committed to vinyl. It’s Universal Soldier by DONOVAN.
Covered by DONOVAN, written by Buffy St. Marie. And maybe better to remember her by, than the recent shenanagan around her invented persona.
Thank you – I stand corrected.
I have to say I have rather disappointing memories of the first Help album. It was a huge news story, but the songs were, in general, dashed-off covers that didn’t bear repeat listening. Blur’s contribution, in particular, was utterly pointless, and the whole thing was a classic play-once-and-stick-it-on-the-shelf album. I’m glad it made some cash for a good cause, obviously – it just would’ve been nice to have something with a hint of artistic merit.
It had Lucky by Radiohead, 18 months before OK Computer; Mourning Air by Portishead, nearly two years before the Portishead album; exclusives from Terry Hall and Sinéad O’Connor; but, apart from that…
Terry Hall and Sinead O’Conner both did cover versions: Dream a Little Dream of Me, and Ode to Billie Joe.
Yes, and they were bloody good.
I agree, not everything on the LP was great, but there’s half a decent album in there, which is as much as many ‘proper’ albums.
Much more than “a hint of artistic merit”.
Not all dashed off cover versions (that honor went to 2002s 1 Love War Child album), but yes the Blur contribution is a bit “why?” and I’m not sure I’ve pulled the original off the shelf for many many years.
It does look like they’ve done a decent job of this one.
Levellers ‘Searchlights’ is a big favourite of mine from the original, along with Terrorvision, Suede, Manics. I’ll have to dig it out.