Contact by Dog In A Man Suit

They say let sleeping dogs lie—but despite calling it quits in 2023, New Jersey post-punk act Dog In A Man Suit wasn’t quite ready to take the costume off. Released two years after their last show, their final effort Contact is a compelling intro to DIAMS: a guitar-heavy, emotionally raw album that may both haunt you and also become your fall soundtrack.

Recorded at Gradwell House in Haddon Heights, NJ with Matt Weber (A Great Big Pile of Leaves, Armor for Sleep), the album is driven by sugary riffs and a deep desire for human connection.

“Generally, the album is about the complexities of social relationships,” says co-lead vocalist/guitarist Anjali Nair. “Your friends evolve, your family evolves, you yourself are ever-evolving—which can be hard to accept sometimes.”

Each song recalls a real experience. It opens with the carpe diem anthem “Voices Outside,” then moves into murkier territory, e.g. “Any of the Time,” where co-lead vocalist/guitarist Billie Seeland chants: “I just don’t know what I’m doing anymore.”

The album peaks with “Sunday,” a tribute to the late grandmother of Billie and bassist Chris Seeland, then closes with “Next Life,” circling back to the opener’s optimism—this time with a wiser resolve to embrace the moment, because what other choice is there?

Dog In A Man Suit’s final statement says: yes, life happens. But as Nair sings: “I can’t blame it on myself or blame anyone else.” And with that, Contact quietly assures you: hey, us too. It’ll be okay.

bunch of dogs

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