Sweet Relief: We Can Help, with songs from Ben Harper, Richard Thompson, Sixpence None The Richer and more, is collection that gives back to the musicians who are always there for us.
In a time when streaming royalties rarely pay the rent and touring life is more uncertain than ever, Sweet Relief: We Can Help arrives as both lifeline and love letter to the artists who keep the music alive. The new 18-track compilation from Flatiron Recordings brings together a cast of legends and left-of-center stars, with all proceeds going to the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, an organization that’s been quietly helping musicians cover basic living and medical expenses since 1994. Curated and produced by longtime studio player and producer Sheldon Gomberg, We Can Help doubles as a star-studded mixtape of new recordings and hidden gems. The tone is rootsy, soulful, and deeply empathetic, fitting for a record built around helping hands.
The opening track gets things started in a special way. Michael Penn and Aimee Mann reimagine Harry McClintock’s 1928 hobo anthem “Hallelujah! I’m A Bum” with a wry wink and understated charm. That same vintage Americana spirit runs throughout the record, from Ben Harper and Peter Case’s aching take on “Help” to Lucinda Williams' touching take on “Somebody Loan Me A Dime.” Elsewhere, Laura Veirs delivers a haunting rendition of the Smiths’ “Please Let Me Get What I Want,” Richard Thompson contributes the cheeky, previously unreleased “Humpy Back Man,” and Sixpence None The Richer hautingly revisit Neil Young’s “The Needle And The Damage Done” with clear admiration for the source material. Even Blake Mills shows up to close the album with “While My Heart Keeps Beating Time,” a song that sounds like a flickering neon sign in a long-lost roadhouse. The compilation’s emotional centerpiece might be Peter Holsapple’s cover of Billy Swan’s “I Can Help,” the song that inspired the album title. It’s a lo-fi but clear-eyed reminder of music’s ability to offer comfort, even if it can’t solve every problem in the world.
"This record is about community,” says Aric Steinberg, Executive Director of Sweet Relief. “Another amazing record from Sheldon Gomberg. We couldn’t be more grateful to him and all of the participating artists - and special thanks to the good folks at Flatiron Recordings for supporting the music community.” Released first on limited-edition vinyl for Record Store Day, Sweet Relief : We Can Help now gets a wide release, giving people the chance to not just hear the music, but support the musicians behind it. It’s a compilation that plays like a tribute to survival, solidarity, and the songs that see us through. In a business that can often feel thankless, this one gives back.