Chris Cleverley Gets Festive with His EP, ‘Gods Of All Things’ [Premiere]

’Tis the season for festive joy and newfound optimism, part of the motivation for Chris Cleverley’s brand new record Gods of All Things. If you haven’t already guessed, this is the singer-songwriter’s brand new Christmas album. It is the follow-up to last year’s In the Shadow of John the Divine, also a Christmas-themed collection. Gods of All Things features five new tracks, and it serves as a companion piece to In the Shadow of John the Divine.

Cleverley is a well-regarded dream-folk artist with a very adventurous songwriting style. He is inspired by such a wide range of things, and he enthusiastically loves to share those ideas with his audience. A lot of his subject matter hones in on very human, real-world themes. Whether it’s discussing the fragile beauty of nature or the plight of displaced people, Cleverley delivers it with grace and integrity. He exudes a calm character, while also incorporating a wit and warm sense of humour.

Commenting on the new album Gods of All Things, Cleverley tells us:

“Gods of All Things carries on the story from where 2024’s In the Shadow of John the Divine. My second Christmas record. If last year was about the dichotomy, this one’s about the resolution; it frames the universal forces that govern our lives, that we may appeal to when seeking release from all we’ve been carrying as the year comes to a close. The festive period is a curious time, during which we wind down, decompress, and reflect. A rare lucidity! It can bring complexity, ambivalence and ambiguity, but this record goes out with the hope that we all can find the peace and ease of being that we may be yearning for as December draws in.”

While seasonal or Christmas records can often get bogged down by predictability or being formulaic, Cleverley is careful to avoid these pitfalls. Gods of All Things is a more challenging listening experience, a festive journey of the self. It is meant to reflect the true essence of the festive season, a period of rest, reflection, warmth, and connection. Society has imposed structures and tendencies that have imposed large barriers on our ability to truly appreciate the season. The 24-hour sensory overload from the media commercializing and, in some ways, trivializing Christmas, the excesses within that, and the pressure that comes with meeting these standards and expectations. This album is meant to release us all from those bonds so that we can truly appreciate what matters.

And although Gods of All Things is a Christmas album, that tag is not meant to be a deterrent for those who aren’t keen on this time of year. It’s not about Christmas trees, Santa Claus, or the birth of Jesus. This record is meant to be a welcoming and reflective space where you can find your own way to unwind and find calm and peace in an often unsettling, disheartening world.

Gods Of All Things EP Track Listing:

1. The Holly & The Ivy
2. Lord Of Chaos
3. The Falcon or Corpus Christi Carol
4. Frost Giant (feat. Molly Rymer)
5. Coventry Carol

Chris Cleverley ‘Gods Of All Things’ album artwork