Rapper-singer Lil Peep is in his own, dark, twisted world on his seven-song project, ‘Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 1.’  

20-year old rapper-singer Lil Peep (born Gustav Åhr) is quite an interesting guy. He’s interesting in regards to his background, personality, and his abundance of body ink. Lil Peep drops a seven-track project, Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 1, his first of note.  Ahead of Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 1, Peep released two singles, “Benz Truck” and “The Brightside,” which foreshadowed the sound and vibe of the project.  Safe to say, there’s lots of guitar, hard beats, and singing that sounds ‘under the influence.’   

“Benz Truck (Гелик)”

Opener “Benz Truck (Гелик)” stands out from the crowd.  From the start, the sound is dark and foreboding.  For many, this particular song gives the first impression of Lil Peep.  He comes off both odd and unique, embedding his personality and one-of-a-kind status for sure.  A first listen of “Benz Truck” is a bit off-putting, yet with successive listens, it’s undoubtedly hypnotic.  It’s by no means deep, but somehow, Peep wins us over with his charm.  The hook is a selling point.

“Lil Bo Peep with a brand-new b*tch / In the back of the club with the Goth Boi Clique / Iced out teeth on an iced-out whip / With the limousine tints, you can suck my dick…”

“Benz Truck (Гелик)” has already graced two The Musical Hype playlists: 10 Mercedes Benz Songs and 16 Foreign Car Songs.

“Save That Shit”

Lil Peep flexed on “Benz Truck (Гелик).” However, the tone changes on “Save That Shit,” where he seems sad to say the least. Sure, the opener wasn’t exactly optimistic, but on “Save That Shit,” he wants his girl to take him back. Apparently, she’s leery of him, judging by numerous lines.

“Growing sick of this and I don’t wanna make you sad / Do I make you scared? Baby won’t you take me back?”

In regards to form, “Save That Shit” is a bit odd.  What is clear is that there’s a hook, iterated three times.  Otherwise, there’s a brief bridge and a pseudo-verse.  

“Awful Things” sounds like a rock song from the jump.  The ‘hip-hop’ is incorporated thanks to the hard-hitting, anchoring drums.  As far as bars, Lil Peep sings, incorporating incredible energy on the hook.  Peep doesn’t do all the ‘heavy lifting,’ with Lil Tracy guesting on the second verse.  The vibe is the same, showing the similarity between both artists.  This may not be for everybody, but if nothing more, the chorus is catchy.

“Bother me, tell me awful things / You know I love it when you do that / Helps me get through this without you / Bother me, tell me awful things / You know I love it when you move that on me / Love it when you do that one me.”

“U Said”

Like “Awful Things,” “U Said” very much embodies a rock spirit.  Interestingly, “U Said” ends up being a two-part song.  This is a pro because it provides contrast.  The first part is entitled “Poppin’ Pills Thinkin’ Bout U.” Charming.  The second part is also druggy in quality, titled “Sometimes Life Gets F*cked Up.”  The hip-hop drums are heavier here, and Lil Peep goes harder.  The punk-like energy is a pro through and through, particularly on the verse.  Again, this is more rock-rap, but there are clearly some ‘bars’ on the verse.

“That we used to do, I was used to you / ‘What have you been through?’ she asked me / Every f*cking kind of abuse / If you love me too, you would give me you / Lock me in your room, don’t tell me the truth / Everything you said, stared inside my head / All the shit you said, all the blood I bled.”    

“Better Off (Dying)” keeps it short and…dark.  Clearly, there is an element of death. Is it legitimate death? Maybe, maybe not, but Lil Peep doesn’t exactly shut down the possibility.  He references cocaine (potentially a death sentence), a doomed relationship, and his flaws, secrets, etc.      

“The Brightside” 

Despite the depressing sentiment of “Better Off (Dying),” “The Brightside” brings some much-needed optimism to the table.  Representative of the new-school of hip-hop, the beat is clearly part of the rap idiom – slick, anchoring the production work down.  As far as palette of sounds itself, once again, the rock crossover is interesting.  Guitars continue fueling the entirety of the production. This won’t appeal to the traditional listener who’s looking for bars, but a more open-minded listener may find a deeper appreciation.

“Problems” concludes Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 1 as mysteriously as “Benz Truck (Гелик)” initiated it.  The production is driven by guitar and hip-hip drums, while Lil Peep sings slow, faded, and melancholy.  The form is simple – hook, verse, and hook again.  In that regards, Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 1 lacks profundity.  Still, as simplistic as the forms are throughout, Lil Peep is incredibly intense and complex.

Final Thoughts 

All in all, Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 1 is perplexing.  There are elements that are great, and then there are elements that are, well, odd.  Likely, Lil Peep will always be a polarizing artist.  Perhaps, at least a part of him wants that.  Still, even with the idiosyncrasies exhibited on Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 1, there is something compelling about Peep, even if it’s hard to pinpoint.  This project is worth checking out.  You might like it, or, you might not.

Gems: “Benz Truck (Гелик),” “U Said” & “The Brightside”

Lil Peep • Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 1 • Lil Peep • Release: 8.15.17

Photo Credit: Lil Peep