Rock-and-roll chameleon David Bowie [ tickets ] is set to release a new studio album in September, and will back the effort with his first world tour in almost a decade.

Titled "Reality," Bowie's 26th studio release is due in stores on Sept. 16. He wrote and recorded the album in New York City, and co-produced the set with longtime collaborator Tony Visconti.

Backing Bowie during the recording sessions was the band that toured with him behind last year's "Heathen": vocalist Gail Ann Dorsey, pianist Mike Garson, drummer Sterling Campbell and guitarists Earl Slick and Gerry Leonard. Visconti played bass on the album, while Bowie, in addition to singing, played keyboards, guitar and sax.

The album features nine original cuts, as well as cover versions of "Pablo Picasso"--a Jonathan Richman-penned song that Richman originally recorded with The Modern Lovers--and "Try Some, Buy Some," a lesser-known song by the late George Harrison.

Bowie had been planning to record his versions of both songs for years, and originally intended to do so on a sequel to his 1973 covers-only album "Pin Ups."

"At one time I was compiling a 'Pin Ups ll' list and both of these songs were on it," he said in a statement. "I must have over fifty songs on that list now. As it's very unlikely that I'll do another Pin Ups, I just grab a couple of irresistible favorites from the list every time I go into the studio. I get a real kick from doing covers, I'm such a rock fan at heart."

Bowie plans to post additional information about "Reality," including sound clips, at his official website "soon," according to a press release.

The "Reality" world tour opens in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Oct. 7. Bowie plans to play to more than one million people while visiting 17 countries over a seven-month period.

The tour is already sold out in Europe, and will hit North America in late 2003. The North American itinerary hasn't been announced.