“COWYS2” Album Review

Lil Peep’s first posthumous album Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 2 (COWYS2) was released Nov. 9, six days before the one year anniversary of his death. The album features 11 songs lasting 38 minutes with the three singles “Cry Alone,” “Runaway,” and “Life is Beautiful,” being released before the official release of the complete album.

COWYS2 debuted at number four on the Billboard 200, and just like the album’s predecessor, Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt.1, the album is produced by Peep’s long time collaborator, Smokeasac, along with the help of Rob Cavallo and IIVI.

Peep’s fans have long awaited this album, even before his death, as many of the song from it were leaked back in June 2017. Similar to his past music, Peep’s lyrics focus on death, drugs, and depression; due to his passing, these topics have became even more morbid than they were when he was alive. It’s almost as if Peep knew his time was coming with how often he foreshadows death on this album.

In track two, “Runaway,” Peep foreshadows his death and shares his disgust with his peers, his hometown, and life in general: “Why the f**k do everybody act like they care?/I was dying and nobody was there/please don’t cry baby life ain’t fair.”

Similar to his past work, the chords Peep uses are heavily influenced by Punk and Alt rock. “Cry Alone” opens with a stuttering guitar riff that sounds like it could have been written by Pink Slip, Lindsay Lohan’s punk band in the 2003 film Freaky Friday. “IDGAF” plucks out a winding guitar throughout the song that could be mistaken as a sample from the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Californication.

Peep’s lyricism shines on this album as well, specifically on track six, “16 Lines,” where he writes: “16 lines will make me feel fine/10 years ago I went blind/I been on my own since age nine/16 lines of blow and I’m fine/break my bones, but act as my spine.” Peep shows how music and drugs, specifically cocaine, helped him through tough times using “16 lines” as a double entendre alluding to lines of cocaine and the 16 lines of music that are typical of a rap song’s chorus. The music has helped saved lives, but the drugs ended up as his demise when he overdosed on fentanyl-laced Xanax Nov. 15, 2017.

The album as a whole and especially the last track, “Fingers,” serve as a memorial that will bring his fans to tears as the music fades “I’m not gonna last long” Peep cries out, concluding the album.

The pop-oriented instrumentals and production of this album introduces to fans of Peep reach a broader audience than his last projects, but sacrifices some originality. “Broken Smile (My All)” and “Life is Beautiful” reuse verses that were released previously on different songs. Even with this minor negative, the album is great and Lil Peep’s unique style will influence many artists of the future.