John Pfeiffer featured The Beagles in The Shoreworld column in The Aquarian Weekly on September 26, 2018. The column  can be read in full at https://www.theaquarian.com/2018/09/26/shoreworld-the-beagles-bed-of-roses/

Here is the “CD review” part of the article:

Let’s take a listen to some of the 17 songs on this new East Coast group and see what they’re all about.

The first track on the disc is called “Happy Happy”. Freeman and Rose harmonize and dart in and out of verses, taking turns and blending vocal magic to create their upbeat, poppy ode to bands in the style of Van Morrison. Freeman’s sunny guitar style is reminiscent of 1970s Jerry Garcia, and the steady beat of Clark and Ross keep things moving at a swift and steady pace. If you’re looking for alternative-based music, this probably won’t be your cup of tea. This is a band that takes you back to the earlier sounds of rock ‘n’ roll and leaves out the noise and dissonance as they do it. It is more about talent mixed with compositional style than it is about making some sort of a statement in a world gone completely berserk. It’s refreshing to hear a positive song that centers more on being cheery instead of morose and dark. Sax work courtesy of Steve Wolpert is to the point and melodic in nature, following the vocalists and adding a distinctive flavor that makes this song stand out in a good way.

Another outstanding song is “Marry My Music”. Freeman waxes poetic on music and the virtues it carries over relationship longevity and the like. Guitars scuffle along as bass and drums kick a steady four/four rhythm straight to the heart. Wolpert is back with sax breaks that cue in and out of the song throughout. Jay Posipanko lends his expertise on organ on the track, and it adds that background keyboard whir that this song fits to naturally. Rose and Freeman have a special and natural fitting ability to harmonize and take turns with verses like they’ve been singing together for decades. Freeman likens his music to a fully blossomed relationship, and the comparison works quite well. With the addition of Wolpert on backing vocals along with his sax work, “Marry My Music” is a match made in heaven.

“Came To Me” is another excellent song that doesn’t fit the usual rock mold and still manages to make an impression. Vanessa takes the lead here, utilizing her training and experience as a jazz singer to make this song swing wide. Focusing on love and the situations that can sour a relationship, Rose tells her story with class and style. Freeman’s guitar playing is another highlight that I love. If you like early Jeff “Skunk” Baxter and his work with Steely Dan, you’ll love Freemans playing work on this song. His electric tone is clean and dark, possibly played on a Les Paul style guitar and utilizing pentatonic riffs and passages. Alex Otey plays beautiful piano on this one and Wolpert teams up for an intro piece and a melodic performance in the middle-eight and end. While I wouldn’t consider this to be jazz, I do hear certain similarities in many prog rock groups or pop groups such as Cat Stevens, Fleetwood Mac, lots of Renaissance and a little Roberta Flack just to name a few. Freeman also plays acoustic guitar in the background, and it blends with pianos to deliver a lush and addicting sound. Wolpert’s sax work also combines with Freeman’s electric lines and helps put this song on my favorites list.

Another song I wanted to mention in the disc’s namesake. “Bed of Roses” is a special song that melds several styles including soft rock, country, and southern rock. Blending acoustic guitars with percussive elements and sax and what appears to be cello work, “Bed of Roses” swings to its own original beat. Rose delivers country-tinged vocals along with Freeman’s backing assist as well as additional accompaniment by Clark and Ross (Ross also plays bongos on this one) and the ever-present work of Steve Wolpert. “Bed of Roses” is an extraordinary composition and it runs a rich and varied course as the band goes through its paces. Probably my favorite of the Rose-sung pieces, the song explores the subject matter of love, relationships, and the pieces that fit between the cracks of life. Friends, lovers or whatever the case might be, Rose and Freeman delve deep into the details of life, love and the quandary it puts us in. The middle-eight brings Wolpert into the spotlight along with the cello work and rhythm section that starts to pick up steam and switch from percussion only to real drums along with bass.

Bed of Roses consists of 17 songs in total, and while I don’t have space to discuss each and every one here, I would suggest picking this CD up at a show or from the website and add it to your collection. It’s a breath of fresh air and a band that won’t disappoint those looking for something different and outside of the typical Americana or Pop rock that commandeers the airwaves now.