After spending the past year with the New Kids on the Block reunion, Joey McIntyre is striking while the iron is hot in resuming his solo career.

McIntyre will release a seven-song EP, "Here We Go Again," on Nov. 17 via digital retailers. The set includes the title track first single and other collaborations with producer-writers Brent Paschke, Drew Ryan Scott and Gabe Lopez.

"Every two or three years I just get itchy and I want to make a new record," McIntyre tells Billboard.com, "and being out on the road and performing so much only encouraged me more. It was quite an experience the last couple years with the New Kids; it definitely inspired me to write some stuff. And I think that after being part of a group, you kind of want to do your own thing again."

McIntyre, who's released four previous solo albums, says he started work on "Here We Go Again" two days after New Kids on the Block finished their world tour on July 19, and the first session produced the song "Out of Nothing at All." After that, McIntyre says, "we were psyched" and proceeded with the rest of the disc.

"I like the idea of doing the EP, seven or eight songs," he explains. "After that it becomes a prolonged project, usually. It's the album process. It could go another six months. This sort of shot out of the cannon, and out of that came these seven songs." In addition to the digital release, he's also offering a limited edition Mac Pac 3000 "goodie bag" that includes a CD copy of "Here We Go Again," photos and a booklet with liner notes and lyrics. McIntyre, who's filmed a video for the single, says he hopes to release CDs to terrestrial retail in 2010.

McIntyre plans to tour in the new year -- "Think January," according to his web site -- and will regroup with New Kids on the Block for a May 14-17 cruise. He says the group is also "talking about surrounding that cruise with some cool shows, maybe" and does not rule out the possibility of another New Kids album in the future.

"Timing is everything," McIntyre says. "Basically what I'm saying is the door is wide open. Right now we're doing individual stuff, but we're in touch as well. We just want to feel good about what we do."