Alt-rockers O.A.R. [ tickets ] will start the New Year with a fresh round of concert dates as they look to back a new EP, the digital-exclusive "Heard the World," as well as their most recent long-player, 2005's "Stories of a Stranger."

The Maryland-based band has lined up seven shows in January, kicking off Jan. 18 in Cincinnati. The arena and large-theater outing winds up Jan. 27 at New York's Madison Square Garden.

British rockers Gomez [ tickets ], whose two-disc "Five Men in a Hut" career overview hit stores in October, will handle opening duties during the winter trek.

The iTunes-exclusive "Heard the World" features four previously unreleased O.A.R. tracks, including a radio edit of the title song, which appeared in its original form on "Strangers," as well as an acoustic version of the band's Top 20 single "Love and Memories."

Released last October, "Stories of a Stranger" was produced by former Talking Heads member Jerry Harrison, whose recent production credits include albums from Live, The Verve Pipe and The Von Bondies.

Plans for a full follow-up to "Stories of a Stranger" have begun to percolate, according to a vague message bassist Benj Gershman posted at his group's MySpace.com website.

"We're starting to talk about our next record more often," he wrote. "I will leave it at that. Mystery is beautiful."