Laurie Anderson [ tickets ] will back her forthcoming album, “Life on a String,” with a tour of North America and Europe that is due to kick off in San Francisco on Sept. 6.

Set for release on Aug. 21, the artist’s forthcoming album is her first in six years, and is her debut for Nonesuch Records. The CD features guest appearances from Skuli Sverrisson, Dr. John, Peter Scherer, Eric Friedlander and Lou Reed, among others, according to Anderson’s official website. Anderson herself, meanwhile, plays violin on the collection.

“Life on a String” was originally intended to be a companion piece for Anderson’s 1999-2000 theatrical presentation, “Moby Dick: Songs and Stories from Moby Dick.” The multi-media event featured Anderson performing music inspired by Herman Melville’s famous novel.

Anderson first rose to prominence in the early ‘80s with her hit “O Superman.” Known for her pursuit of both musical and visual arts projects, Anderson is, in addition to mounting her upcoming tour, working on a film score, an art exhibit that will be presented by the Musée Art Contemporain Lyon in 2002, and a pavilion in Switzerland that will open in the summer of 2002, according to her official website.