LIVE REVIEW: THE ROUND UP WITH TWO WAYS HOME, JOE MARTIN, ANNA PANCALDI & OUTPOST DRIVE - THE CUMBERLAND HOTEL - LONDON

The venue and time may change but the UK's most long standing Songwriter's Round lives again with hosts Two Ways Home in the rather regal circumstances of the Cumberland Hotel on London's Marble Arch. As ever with moving in to a new home, there were some ups and downs. On the plus side everyone was afforded a great view of the performers, high up on stage, on the down side the volume possibly needed to be a little louder to cover ambient noise, it was something that was quickly addressed during the half time break and the second half definitely was the better for it.

For a housewarming party you naturally invite some of your friends who have served you well before and so it was a welcome return for Joe Martin, and Anna Pancaldi both Round Up veterans, while Outpost Drive were the newbies on the block who took to the occasion like proverbial ducks to water.

It would fall to Joe Martin to kick things off,with "It Doesn't Rain In LA", with it's strident guitar playing and explosive vocals on the chorus. Co written with #TEAMw21 favourite Vinnie Paolizzi, currently touring with Old Crow Medicine Show this was as good a way to christen a new venue as it gets. Another key reason for #TEAMw21 coming to this inaugural show was a chance to see Outpost Drive in the flesh. Some may have seen this duo supporting The Shires and they stood out in our reseach for the festival that never was, where they were to be one of our top tips. Consisting of husband and wife Willow and Mary Bragg Robinson they would prove to be everyhing that we had hoped for and more.

Willow would open on guitar and vocals, with Mary Bragg joining in on vocals, holding the mic in the stand with one hand. The combination of vocals on "Floating On By" were a powerful, harmonious blend that captured our hearts from the start.

Anna Pancaldi first came to our attention via The Round Up, so it was great to catch up with her again. Something of a force of nature, and impossible to pigeonhole, it is always best just to settle in and see where Anna takes you as it is sure to be a great destination! Anna's opening song "Before You", was a single from last year where it was blessed with additional strings. Introduced as being about asking someone out who then said "No", Anna immediately introduced a soulful vibe to the evening over the gentlest of guitars. Her vocals would soar through the scales moving from almost gently conversational to sweet angelic in the most delightful of ways. It would all end with a high note and a bright smile. Closing out a spectacular Round One, Two Ways Home would start with "Waiting On Luck", with Isy on mandolin and Lewis on guitar, for their warning that luck needs to be made not relied on. Pushed on by the vocal exploits from further to their right, there was there usual trademark harmonies mixed with Isy hitting some big elongated notes with ease.

Round Two would see Joe keeping his Vinnie Paolizzi theme going with a new song to us "Strangers To Lovers". Individually these are two great songwriters anyway, but place them together and you get another level of observation and lyric writing. The seemingly upbeat romantic title is swiftly undercut by the follow up line

"We went from strangers to lovers

Now we're strangers again"

Full of more quotable lines that we could scribble down and matched to a classic country tune - epic stuff.

Outpost Drive continued to dazzle and delight, this time with "Country Revival", opening to the sound of twin guitars, and just Mary Bragg singing on the opening verse. WIllow would join in on the vocals for the chorus on this glorious upbeat tune. He would then throw in some highly impressive guitar work on the outro to finish thing off in style. Anna Pancaldi would maintain her soulful style for "Reach You In Time", which would see Lewis add additional guitar.

Anna creates an incredibly warm sound, even with just an acoustic guitar while her voice just wrapped itself around you, as she once again soared through the scales with an effortless ease. Two Ways Home opting for one of their more softer opening songs in "Better Days", showed the harmonies were clearly there however this one did at times suffer having to fight against multiple falling cutlery.

Round 3 would see Joe Martin play a further unrecorded song in "Old Coaltown", The first time #TEAMw21 heard this song we'd assumed it to be about a UK worker however Joe would reveal it's origins to lie in America. The sentiments remain the same and apply to any industry deemed to be superfluous and left to die. Outpost Drive would reveal a lot about their back story in the intro to "Lord Have Mercy". WIllow would create a wonderful atmosphere with his guitar which Mary Bragg would add to, singing her vocals into her now hand held mic, The sound would then divert into a a dramatic rootsy blues - if this is an indication of the strength of the new album then we cannot wait. Creating a greater sound that it seemed two people could create this was intensely absorbing.

Anna Pancaldi would follow with a new song of her own in "What I Am To You? which epitomizes exactly how difficult it is to classify her. A combination of blues, soul and jazz, it was again the slightest of guitar playing, that left Anna's vocals room to travel wherever they felt which they did in the most stunning of ways. Two Ways Home would close out the first half with their latest single "She Keeps Time Like A Casio". It would see Isy providing her most pure pop vocals when singing solo and when combined entwining with Lewis in the final section - it was simply Two Ways Home at their absolute best.

The second half as mentioned earlier, saw the overall sound levels increase which made for a much easier listen, Joe Martin would open with a piece of classic country in "Brown Paper Bag", It seemed like a song that if written 60 years ago would now be a standard and we'd be arguiing about whether Johnny Cash's or George Jones's version was best - for tonight it was definitely Joe's version that ruled supreme. Even Outpost Drive would say that's a "tough one to follow". They would do so with "Honeymoon" which came with an amazing back story of Willow & Mary Braggs wedding before then becoming a lovely duet, lyrically rich in tiny little details. Anna would then roll back the years for "Steal Away", one of the songs she may have played on our very first encounter. This was maybe more traditional singer songwriter in nature, and sounded as fresh this evening as when we originally heard it. Closing an excellent fourth round Two Ways Home's "Heartbreak" would see Isy and Lewis alternating verses but coming together for the choruses where their voices would entwine as each took a different melody. Highly impressive from beginning to end.

All too soon we were in the final round, Joe Martin would open with a taster for inclusion on a new album due later in the year was "The Man You Need". It was a chance to truly let rip with his vocals which seemed to reach ever greater heights the longer the song progressed. Outpost Drive would close their evening with "Mobile Alabama", Mary Bragg's home town. It came with a fascinating back story that was truly heartwarming that won its own round of applause before a note was even played. It would prove to be a rousing piece of country music, Mary Bragg singing while hand holding the mic, while Wilow provided stirring guitar work. There was even time for some crowd participation, confirming Outpost Drive were all that we have hoped they ould be and more.

Anna Pancaldi's final song "Uneasy", was as yet unreleased waiting for the right recorded version to happen. Another genre defying song with some fabuous final high pitched notes, it was great to reacquaint ourselves with Anna. Closing out a successful Round Up would be Two Ways Home with "Broken Heatts Club", it would be a true team effort with a Willow Robinon guirar solo and everyone else on backing vocals.

A new venue but undoubtedly still the original and best Songwriters Round in the UK - long may it ride again.