In a music world where legions of classic bands are milking their old hits for all the extra attention they can find, the Smithereens are a step apart. Sure, they play the fan favorites from their 1980s albums — “Drown in My Own Tears,” “Behind the Wall of Sleep” — but they also aren’t afraid to take other paths. Fans saw that with their albums paying tribute to “Meet the Beatles” and the Who’s “Tommy.” And now, the band shows it again with their first album of original material in 12 years.

“It’s something we never didn’t want to do,” said drummer Dennis Diken of “2011,” which was released in April. “We are very happy with the way it turned out and very excited about what we’ve heard from fans and the public in general.”