There are many bands of comedians that unite under some socio-economic or racial banner as to make themselves more palatable to a broader audience. They’ll go unnamed, though I’m sure you could figure out what color collar or royal designation of any ethnicity I’m referring to. More along the lines of the Comedians of Comedy, the Beards of Comedy, especially with their sophomore album Cardio Mix, bring a more refreshing approach, with their focus on being four funny people that play to crowds and audiences that appreciate great humor.

Though Andy Sandford, Joe Zimmerman, TJ Young, and Dave Stone all do actually have beards and they are all white guys, those are characteristics upon which their comedy thankfully does not rely. There is only a single reference to a beard throughout all 40 tracks on Cardio Mix, but that outlier is of little significance next to Sandford’s joke on baseball or Zimmerman’s “fun survey” of the audience. It’s a hilarious showcase of observational comedy ranging from deadpan absurdity all the way to hysterical admissions of the truth. Essentially, the Beards are only in the same “ballpark of humor” with their different personas and cadences, and it’s a damn fine ballpark.

Most notably, since each Beard only gets 10 tracks, translating roughly to 15 minutes a piece, the sets are incredibly tight. They achieve the dream of any comedian, solo or in a group, by leaving the listener wanting more. Cardio Mix does go by quite fast with four different funny voices, which has, in this reviewer’s experience, made for plenty of repeated plays of the album. Particularly, the last track, “Sad Song”, in which the Beards summarize their view on indie movie soundtracks, is the best, and should be a hit on iTunes beyond their comedy charts.

The Beards of Comedy’s Cardio Mix will serve not only as a great Christmas present for both fans of comedy as well as those who are looking to laugh and not as well versed in the newly burgeoning world of stand-up, but will probably be a great treat for yourself while you’re driving to various stores frustrated in looking for a copy of something that’s sold out. Download a copy here.