Party Gator Purgatory

Party Gator Purgatory is the debut studio album by British experimental collective Temps, headed by the English comedian James Acaster. It was released on May 19, 2023, via Bella Union.

Background
In November 2022, the comedian James Acaster announced a new musical project called Temps, a music collective of 40 musicians. Performing artists include Quelle Chris, Xenia Rubinos, Nnamdi Ogbonnaya (NNAMDÏ) and Shamir. Acaster, a drummer, had initially conceived the project as a mockumentary with Louis Theroux's production company, but during the COVID-19 pandemic he abandoned the idea and began to collaborate through email with musicians he had contacted while writing his book Perfect Sound Whatever (2019).

Composition and recording
Party Gator Purgatory explores genres including alt-rock, electronica, hip-hop and jazz. Acaster described the project as neither comedic nor serious. He aimed to give as little direction to the musicians as possible, encouraging them to improvise. Some songs would change tone completely as different musicians added their parts. Acaster combined parts together, with a dozen additional people involved in audio engineering and distribution.

Release
Party Gator Purgatory was released on Bella Union on May 19, 2023. It was released on CD, 2LP vinyl and on streaming services.

Music videos were shot by Turtle Canyon Comedy. Initially, they feature Acaster in the 'Party Gator' costume—a lifesized toy alligator that he won at a fair as a child. After Acaster suffered an injured ankle, heatstroke and labyrinthitis, the costume was replaced by a puppet.

Four singles were released: "no,no", "bleedthemtoxins", "partygatorresurrection" and "ificouldjust". With the release of the album came a music video for "partygatorRIP". Acaster created the album's artwork with highlighter pens.

Reception
For Far Out, Tyler Golsen rated Party Gator Purgatory two out of five stars, summarising it as "a random soup that never congeals" due to its lack of direction, large number of contributing artists and combination of genres. However, Golsen identified a minority of songs with an overarching direction and an ambition that was occasionally successful. It was The Quietus's Album of the Week, with Alistair Shuttleworth praising that it was "genuinely excellent" as well as unique. Shuttleworth reviewed it as a "technicolour, maximalist, hugely inventive album" with a "sprightly, playful character" overall, but a number of "unexpectedly moving" commentaries on mental health.

Track listing
Vinyl releases have tracks 1–3 on side A, 4–6 on side B, 7–10 on side C, and After Party EP on side D. CD versions have the After Party EP as unlisted tracks 11–15.

Personnel

 * James Acaster – production, mixing, drums
 * Chris Hamilton – mixing, engineering
 * Joe Hutchinson – mastering
 * Al Clayton – engineering
 * Dan Hendrix – engineering