I almost paused this for good when the first song, “Mostly Harmless,” opened by telling me to turn off the TV (never) and open my blinds (again, no, never) but I’m happy I kept it going. The Magnifiers are a Chicago-based band consisting of four young siblings making music that their sparse social media presence indicates is inspired by some of the bigger names in the punk universe: Rancid, Operation Ivy, and Fugazi. The final result is a lot poppier than the above—somewhere between Hanson and Paramore. I never knew that was a spectrum, either, but you learn something new every day. Track three, “Anarchy Sucks,” has a catchy chorus and, from what I can hear of the lyrics, it’s a pretty mature take on what it means to oppose a government that alleges to represent you. I won’t be surprised if The Magnifiers find a steady fanbase and land some movie soundtrack spots. If you like Paramore and/or Hanson, the four tracks are worth your time. –Nicole X (themagnifiers.com)