It is a darkly ironic proposition, the sort of mordant musing that Heidecker delivers best. His writing sports a certain sardonic charm that results in tracks such as “Property,” which imagines land developers tearing into cemeteries for their newest high rises and coffee shops. Heidecker himself holds the record down admirably as well. It is a fitting closer to the record, delivering all of the otherworldly gravitas of Mering’s best work. Mering is a near-constant presence, adding gorgeous background vocals on nearly every song and taking the lead for the closer “Oh How We Drift Away.” The meditative piano, swelling string orchestra, and layered vocals all give the track a distinctly Weyes Blood feel, so much so you’d be excused for thinking it was a lost cut off 2019’s Titanic Rising. While Heidecker wears his influences on his sleeve, the addition of his collaborators, Natalie Mering especially, enhances the record immeasurably. Heidecker’s affection for Laurel Canyon 1970s pop, such as Harry Nilsson and Randy Newman, is well known and his newest work faithfully recreates its sound. As the steel pedal flecked opening track warns, “Put your headphones on if you dare/You’re about to feel.”įans of Heidecker’s solo work likely know what to expect going into Fear of Death. This time around, though, he has an assist from an all-star cast of 1970s pop revivalists Natalie Mering (aka Weyes Blood), Drew Erickson, The Lemon Twigs’ Brian and Michael D’Addario, and Foxygen’s Jonathan Rado all add their talents to the mix. His 2019 album What the Brokenhearted Do… imagined a fictional divorce from his wife, and his latest follow up, Fear of Death, conjures a similarly morose ’70s singer/songwriter pastiche. Tim Heidecker is best known for his nearly 20 years with the comedy duo Tim & Eric, but his musical ventures are often more serious affairs.

Fear of death tim heidecker