SMALL FACES

Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Cher and Me’Shell Ndegeocello, among others, have donated songs for a Reprise CD that will be available only as part of a book titled “The Invisible Homeless,” featuring photos of homeless children taken by top fashion photographers. The songs, all previously released, were selected by the musicians as representing themes related to the project, which benefits the Homes for the Homeless organization. . . .

Both Mitchell and Clapton also have new albums due in May. Mitchell’s, tentatively titled “Facelift,” is self-produced, with musical collaboration from drummer Brian Blades. Clapton had considered teaming again with Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, who wrote and produced the recent, Grammy-nominated hit “Change the World,” but ended up producing the collection himself. . . .

Michael Stipe teamed up with Jimmy Scott for a duet on the standard “Ill Wind” (with Flea on bass) for the soundtrack to the movie “Albino Alligator,” directed by actor Kevin Spacey. The accompanying album is due Feb. 11 from 4AD. . . . With the soundtrack album from the recent “William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet” a hit, a second volume of music from the film is in the works, with both songs (including Quindan Tarver’s version of “When Doves Cry”) and the atmospheric score music written by Marius DeVries and Craig Armstrong and produced by Nellee Hooper. . . .

Nick Cave is planning a rare U.S. concert tour, a brief, six-city swing with the singer accompanying himself on piano, to support his upcoming album “The Boatman’s Call.” An L.A. date is expected. The album, due March 4, is a stark contrast to last year’s harrowing “Murder Ballads”; it will feature hymn-like songs of love and devotion with spare accompaniment. . . .

The third album by Holland’s Bettie Serveert, titled “Dust Bunnies,” is due from Matador Records on March 25. . . . Discovery Records is releasing four albums of remixes of music by the ‘80s electronic group Art of Noise, including one, “The Fon Mixes,” featuring work by Prodigy and 808 State.