Epic Beard Men – This Was Supposed To Be Fun

Merciless fun

When you break down the duo of Sage Francis and B. Dolan, it is clear to see that they are not your run of the mill rap group. Their press picture sees the duo sporting wardrobes and facial hair combinations that would seemingly be a more regular sight at a Mastodon concert. Beyond their atypical look, these emcees are extremely self-aware. Having formed on the idea of “this was supposed to be fun, for fuck’s sake,” the group is able to analyze serious issues without getting too far away from the group’s fun intentions. The group is able to manipulate humor and hyperbole in a truly unique way to get their points across in a light and comical manner. With a name as group name as absurd as Epic Beard Men, the group’s reliance is on humor clearly should not too hard of a concept for listeners to grasp. Still, Epic Beard Men prove that they are a cut above their competitors on This Was Supposed to Be Fun with their impeccable rhyme schemes, intimidating delivery, and ferociously entertaining character.

Internal rhymes and social commentary dominate the opening track “Hours & Minutes.” B. Dolan’s witty introductory verse immediately sets the tone for the track as he spouts out lines like, “They redefined Satan, now they call it Live Nation.” The line itself both promotes Do-It-Yourself values for today’s music youth while also protests the industry promoter titan that is Live Nation. A critique like this is poignant, but is also hilariously undercut by Dolan’s just a couple seconds later, “My whole genetic code has been soaked in THC/I mean my jeans are high-waisted.” On a surface level, this phrase seems to be a funny marijuana reference, but the second part of this phrase acknowledges Dolan and Francis’ perception throughout the rap community. Their high-waisted jeans portray them as the old, outsiders in a community that is permeated with young talent. So while they are critiquing many issues throughout this track, The Beard Men are aware that to many younger people they may seem like old fogeys just complaining about a younger generation. This is further cemented by Francis’ line “I’m still in with the out-crowd.”

The group’s sardonic and humorous adventure is most entertaining when it is at its most outrageous. While tunes like “Sand Dunes” showcase incredibly gritty production and deliveries, it is tunes like “Pistol Dave” and “Shin Splits” that really take listeners on an odyssey. The former sees the group tackling the relationship an ex-con and a cop that are living in the same neighborhood. Both perspectives and ideas are explored, and amazingly, Epic Beard Men are able to make an extremely tension-filled relationship appear utterly humorous. The cop-con relationship in America is mired in problems, which is certainly evident in this track. The Beard Men portray the cop who seems to have a very closed mind along with some maturity issues. Meanwhile, Slug does not portray the most glamorous person in the world ever either with his portrayal of Dave. Still, at least Dave feels much more self-aware of who he is.

The aforementioned “Shin Splints” is an incredible display of lyricism and production. The various tempos implemented across this track allow Dolan and Francis to flow in so many different directions. The lagging flow and the fast-as-rails Eminem-style flow are both used across this track, showcasing the impressive skill that these two have. “You Can’t Tell Me Shit” explores both the positivity and toxic negativity of its own title phrase. Sure confidence is on full display which at least for a while is innocuous, but the further the phrase is used as justification, the more it feels like a defense mechanism to fight off the inner-turmoil the narrators are truly facing. This is reflected in the variety of different vocal tones the duo uses on the track.

While the album does dip a bit towards the end, it is certainly not in a major way. “Crumbs in Every Bag,” “Hedges” and “Foresight” have a ton to enjoy about them. Their quirky storytelling, introspective societal critiques, and zany deliveries show that the Beard Men are more than just comedian rappers. They are students of the game and should be treated as such

Ultimately, Epic Beard Men deliver on this project. While everything about This Was Supposed to Be Fun is a bit odd, it is in the best way possible. Dolan and Francis have managed to speak about their political and social ideologies while not betraying their mantra of “This was supposed to be fun, for fuck’s sake.” In our current landscape of political division, we could use a little bit of whatever they are having. We could use some fun at the very least.