Tim Heidecker isn’t here for your boxed-in expectations. Known best as one half of the absurdist duo Tim and Eric, he’s spent the past few years quietly building a parallel music career that continues to raise eyebrows — not because of the juxtaposition of comedy and music, but because it’s genuinely good. With his latest release Slipping Away, Heidecker pushes the envelope even further, blending humor with raw sincerity in a way that might surprise anyone expecting an extension of his comedic persona.
When Heidecker and Kyle Meredith chat, he’s just come off a run of shows, effortlessly weaving between his worlds of comedy and music, and he’s in good spirits. “Music was always there,” he says, brushing off any notion that he’s a latecomer to the scene. In fact, Heidecker’s been a musician for as long as he’s been a comedian, playing guitar since his teens and dabbling in songwriting whenever he could. “It’s not like I woke up one day and thought, ‘Hey, maybe I should try music.’ It’s just that comedy took off first.”
But Slipping Away isn’t just a quirky side project. This album is Heidecker at his most introspective — peeling back the irony-laden facade he’s known for to reveal something far more personal. “For years, I leaned heavily into satire and irony in my comedy,” he admits. “But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve felt more comfortable getting sincere. It’s almost a relief.”
The album’s opener, "Wells Running Dry," is a sly nod to those familiar with Heidecker’s brand of misdirection. The track humorously announces his creative depletion, only to immediately contradict itself with a collection of sharp, thoughtful songs. “It was Ellie [Heidecker’s bass player] who was like, ‘What kind of asshole writes a song about running out of ideas and then makes an album?’” Heidecker laughs. “But that’s the fun of it. You get to set expectations and then break them.”
As Slipping Away unfurls, it becomes clear that Heidecker is after something deeper. "Hey Would You Call My Mom for Me?," one of the album’s emotional centerpieces, was inspired by a chance encounter in Vancouver. “This kid came up to me, asked me to call his mom,” Heidecker recalls, visibly affected by the memory. “It hit me hard, but I didn’t know what to do. I just gave him some money and left. That moment stuck with me.” The song, with its gentle guitar and fragile lyrics, offers a glimpse into Heidecker’s vulnerability — a far cry from the acerbic comedy that made him famous.
But don’t mistake Slipping Away for a complete departure. Heidecker’s trademark wit sneaks through in moments like "Dad of the Year," a tongue-in-cheek nod to the trials of middle-aged fatherhood. “I love crafting albums that feel cohesive,” he says. “I want people to go on a journey. I don’t want to just throw random songs at them. This one’s a reflection of where I am now, in my forties, juggling fatherhood, the world falling apart, and still trying to find a way to laugh through it all.”
The duality of the album’s title serves as its guiding principle. “I like the idea that Slipping Away can mean different things,” Heidecker explains. “At first, it’s about taking some mushrooms, drifting away, finding a kind of peaceful escape. But then, it’s also about the darker stuff — the things in the world that feel like they’re slipping away from us.” As the record progresses, the lightness of its opening tracks gives way to more somber reflections, subtly mirroring the quiet anxieties of a world on the brink.
Heidecker has a lot on his plate. Between Slipping Away, his ongoing Office Hours series, and upcoming acting projects like Y2K (in theaters Dec 6), he’s juggling more than ever. But despite the various hats he wears, music remains a constant. “I just love it,” he says simply. “It’s a different part of my brain, a different kind of expression, and I can’t imagine not doing it.”
And while some may still struggle to reconcile the comedian with the musician, Heidecker isn’t too worried. “At this point, people get it,” he says. “They understand that I’m not just doing a joke album. They’re in on it, and that’s the best part.”
With Slipping Away, Heidecker continues to blur the lines between the serious and the absurd, delivering an album that’s as unexpected as it is emotionally resonant. It’s the work of an artist who’s not just comfortable straddling multiple worlds — he thrives on it.
Watch the interview above and then check out the video below.
