SMALL FACES

After spending the holidays in his native South Africa, Dave Matthews is reconvening his band to start recording its fourth RCA studio album this week at a facility they’ve set up in their Charlottesville, Va., hometown. Steve Lillywhite, who produced the group’s last two studio sets, is back behind the board. The album will probably be released in the fall, but Matthews and crew will start previewing new songs on a concert tour that kicks off in May. . . .

The Lenny Kravitz revival of the Guess Who’s “American Woman” has spurred more interest in the song, with the original now licensed by Gatorade for a TV ad campaign featuring the U.S. women’s soccer team that will hit the air in spring or summer. Meanwhile, group founders Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman are talking about doing reunion shows. After a long estrangement, the Canadian band played a short set at the Pan American Games festivities in Winnipeg last summer. . . .

Barenaked Ladies are set to start work on their follow-up to the breakthrough 1998 album “Stunt.” The band is currently writing new material, with recording to begin in March. No release date has been set. . . .

Danish froth-poppers Aqua--of “Barbie Girl” fame--have a second album due for U.S. release March 28. A single, “Cartoon Heroes,” will be out before then.