The Winter Journey are Anthony Braithwaite and Suzy Mangion, a gentle duo out of place in North West England who create gorgeous music in their drawing room as if it were only yesterday. Their debut album, This Is The Sound of The Winter Journey, originally released in 2008, is a perfect eleven songs of vintage warmth and homely welcome that could only be made from a collection of music recorded by hand on birthdays, Christmases and other days of rest.

Musically we get drawn through their land of pastoral finger picked guitar, village hall harmonies, magical zither minimalism and even a touch of tap dancing. Lyrically we’re invited to a meeting of philosophical minds and personal metaphysical ruminations that inspire a deeper understanding of the world that we’ve perhaps forgotten.

Anthony has written all of the songs and wears his influences with pride – McCartney melodies, Serge Gainsbourg, Elliot Smith ballads, Beach Boy harmonies, The Carter Family, even a little Krautrock – all with a friendly intelligence. He’s even been described as the Stephen Fry of folk music.

Both Suzy and Anthony were previously in the band George who released acclaimed albums on Pickled Egg Records. Suzy releases records under her own name and has sung on records by Ghostwriter, Piano Magic, Arbol, and Big Eyes Family Players. This album was previously released in 2008 by Timbreland Recordings as a limited edition CD.

REVIEWS

"The Winter Journey are a husband and wife combo - okay no big deal you might say and we'd agree - but then both Suzy and Anthony were members of George, an ensemble forever acclaimed by the critics and yet strangely found wanting when it came to the affections of the greater public at large. Wonderfully tender fire side gems feature here - a rich tapestry of classically drilled Brit folk, gently tingling and cut through with a melodically astute becalming exquisite stateliness - Rhythm and Stillness' providing for a spellbinding treat, uncoiling to assume a measured though romantically swept stature. The 'Rubber Soul' era Beatles-esque lilt of 'Malachi My Messenger' within its rustically hued drifting spectral grace harnesses the same sweetly honed silky outer worldly resonance as was once much a feature of George Harrison though the best of the set is the introspectively bruised and crushed 'Spring Song' which should see tears aplenty each time you manage to muster the fortitude for another sly peak." LOSING TODAY

"The Winter Journey's debut album comes adorned with the message that it was 'carefully hand-made at weekends, festivals and holidays' – was there ever a more beautiful sentiment with which to open an album? It's one that you can genuinely believe too. If 'This Is The Sound Of…' were an item of clothing, rather than an album, it would be a cosy woolly jumper knitted in a snug corner of a wind-swept crofter's cottage. It's all just so lovely. Crafted with tenderness and pride, it is an album of gentle joy that comes laden with tiny pieces of beauty, unusual gifts of zither meanderings and finger picked guitar, and no end of unexpected treats. Yet, the real power of Anthony Braithwaite and Suzy Mangion's work comes not in the instrumentation or the calm interplay between their vocals, but in the strength of the songwriting that underpins it all. Be it in the rolling, racing sparkle of 'Clean Kick', the delectable reel of 'Turning Circle', the brooding heart of 'Kill Devil Hills' or even the curious rewiring of the much-loved spiritual 'When The Saints Go Marching In', here simply called 'Saints', the solid bedrock on which the pair build their ethereal delights is just weighty enough to ensure that the beauty is memorable, rather than fleeting. Delightful and delicious, it is an album so heart-warming, it almost makes you weep – and that is as beautiful a reaction as the sentiment it conveys deserves." BBC INTRODUCING

"Husband and wife duo Suzy Mangion and Anthony Braithwaite make a fine contribution to the movement, sounding thoroughly accomplished in their appropriation of vintage folk songwriting and run down acoustic balladry. 'Malachi My Messenger' opens up the album like a rickety combination of Simon & Garfunkel and Peter, Paul & Mary - perhaps with a smidgeon of Elliott Smith thrown in there for good measure. The writing's of a very high standard, with highpoints like the melody of 'Sovereign' and the Sufjan Stevens-like harmonies of 'Ready-Mades' instantly engraving themselves onto your memory, and as simple as these spare, acoustic arrangements may be, the intimate delivery and fine instrumental skill on show make for a thoroughly enjoyable listen. " BOOMKAT

"A duo - Anthony and Suzy who in another musical life were the quietly arresting George whose infrequent appearances on the Pickled Egg and Lejos Discos imprints were things of impeccable bruised beauty. These days the sounds are tenderly stripped, subtly radiant, aching with a broken faded romance that’s coded with a distinctly exquisite turn of melodic phrasing that all at once recalls a subdued George Harrison and an introspective Brian Wilson, these feint surrendering honeycombs will strip and woo you to the core though admittedly we are still much humbled by the ever so hurting and homely ’Spring Song’ - peerless in a word."
 LOSING TODAY