Destination Universe

On their second album, Material Issue’s sound is a bit denser and heavier than on International Pop Overthrow. But you can’t call it an evolution: it’s still straight-up midwest power pop, with crunchy guitars and tight harmonies and undeliable melodic hooks. Also remarkable consistency: “What Girls Want” was the single, but it could just as easily have been “When I Get This Way (Over You)” or the midtempo “Don’t You Think I Know.” Sadly, this was Material Issue’s final proper studio album, as bandleader Jim Ellison took his own life before a third could be released.