| Temporary People | |
| Type: | Album |
| Artist: | Joseph Arthur and The Lonely Astronauts |
| Cover: | Temporarypeople.jpg |
| Released: | September 30, 2008 (US) October 27, 2008 (Europe) |
| Recorded: | 2007–2008 |
| Genre: | Alternative rock |
| Length: | 49:14 |
| Label: | Lonely Astronaut Records Fargo Records |
| Producer: | Kenny Siegal, Joseph Arthur, The Lonely Astronauts |
| Prev Title: | Let's Just Be |
| Prev Year: | 2007 |
Temporary People is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Joseph Arthur, released on September 30, 2008, on Lonely Astronaut Records. Co-produced by both Arthur and Kenny Siegal – who had previously worked with Arthur on Nuclear Daydream (2006) – the album was recorded with backing band The Lonely Astronauts, and features guest musician Garth Hudson on organ and piano.
The album was preceded by the release of four solo EPs – Could We Survive, Crazy Rain, Vagabond Skies and Foreign Girls – with Arthur later stating that Temporary Peoples overall impact and reception was affected by this: "When I put out Temporary People I had just put out four EPs, so it was kind of hard to get anybody pay attention to it. You sort of have to give space in between releases or else people won’t pay attention."[1]
In a November 2008 interview with Joseph on NPR radio, Joseph described the album as being "about a journey, reaching toward the light through your spirit, trying to overcome your demons through your spirit." He said his new listeners should start with Temporary People, adding, "It's a true record, in that it works as a record, it works as a body of work [and] it tells a story: reaching into your soul to overcome your weaknesses and survive with hope...with a rock 'n' roll soundtrack."[2]
Stereogum.com premiered the music video for the album's title track on August 26, 2008. The video, directed by Cerise Leang, features Joseph and the band partying at his Museum of Modern Arthur art gallery in Brooklyn's DUMBO district. The website also posted a free MP3 download of the track as well. Shortly thereafter, a music video was produced for second single "Faith," directed by Stephen Shellenberger, and shot on a trailer park in Ipperwash, Canada.[3] "Faith" was released in the UK as a double A-side promo single, with "Look Into the Sky," on December 15, 2008.
Originally, as posted on Arthur's website in January 2008, his next studio album was to be a solo album titled All You Need Is Nothing with a release date of August 5.[4]