SMALL FACES

England’s Orbital, which has been offered a Lollapalooza slot in addition to its place on the Chaotica dance music tour, is at work on a new album with a planned fall release. . . . Also in the studio in England working on a fall album is PJ Harvey, with Flood returning as the group’s producer. . . .

A long-discussed Echo & the Bunnymen reunion has come about, with an album due for U.S. release in July. This brings the original lineup (minus drummer Pete De Freitas, who died in a 1989 motorcycle accident) together for the first time since 1988. A 1990 album was done without singer and primary songwriter Ian McCulloch, who in 1994 re-teamed with co-founder Will Sergeant as Electrafixion. . . .

English musician Finley Quaye, who is Tricky’s uncle (despite being younger), has just signed a U.S. deal with Sony’s 550 Records. His music is more in the dub-soul vein than in his nephew’s dark trip-hop techno style. Quaye is also expected to sing on the next album by world groove group Deep Forest. . . .

The always off-the-wall duo Ween, whose last album was a country-rooted effort, has turned to classic British psychedelia to inspire its upcoming album “The Mollusk,” due June 20, right down to hiring visual artist Hipgnosis (who did all the trippy Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin albums) to do the cover. . . .

The L.A.-based Dionysus label has assembled a varied lineup for a two-night “Demolition Derby” festival, May 24 and 25 at Hollywood Moguls. Among those set for the first night are rockabilly veteran Ray Campi, Davie Allan & the Arrows and the Bomboras, with a second-night lineup featuring Thorazine, the Humpers, the Tiki Tones and Big Sandy & His Fly Rite Boys. . . .

The Best Buy store chain is putting together a special two-CD package featuring artists appearing on Ozzy Osbourne’s summer OzzFest tour, plus acts with a similar appeal, available free to people attending the concerts (save for postage and shipping) via a mail-in coupon. The album will include tracks by tour participants Osbourne, Marilyn Manson and Pantera and such non-tour acts as Porno for Pyros and Rollins Band.