New Jersey alt-rock outfit Raised On Candy presents ‘Red M&M’, the second taste of their new album ‘Play Marbles on the Turnpike’, out in mid-November via Magic Door Record Label. Beneath its pull, the track hints at something far more unsettling, where desire and menace become difficult to separate. Its cryptic imagery and creeping sense of unease lend the song a dark, almost surreal quality.
Raised On Candy is Joe Penna (vocals, guitars) and Scotty Imp (drums, cymbals). Formed from the ashes of the band Buteo, Raised On Candy is the next step in the evolution of their music, weaving old school indie-rock and post-punk nuggets into tasty sonic delicacies. They’ve always called Montclair, New Jersey their home base. Scotty lives there and, while Joe lives in Riverside, Connecticut, he was born in Montclair and grew up in the nearby community of Toms River.
‘Red M&M’ is the second offering from a record that finds the duo expanding their noisy, hook-heavy sound without losing their wonderfully unruly edge. Built to hit hard, take this album takes multiple unexpected turns, the effect resonating well after the ride stops.
Raised On Candy produced this album together with Ray Ketchem (Guided By Voices, Luna, Elk City, Gramercy Arms, The Dambuilders), who also engineered, mixed and mastered it at Magic Door Recording Studio in Montclair. With a minimalist interplay of melodic vocals, slow burn builds and massive hooks, precise rhythms unite with pyro-friendly guitars, transforming chaos into sharp, noisy rock.
“This song is about someone who wants what someone else has and is using fear as a means of obtaining it, disguised as seduction. Before it’s too late, the spell is broken and the tables turn,” explains Joe Penna.
“It’s all about the atmospherics that are present throughout the song, which slowly wind their way to an inevitable, mortal confrontation. It reminds me a lot of an epic David vs Goliath battle, with the underdog eventually rising up and taking out that big ol’ bully once and for all.”
In September, Raised On Candy shared ‘Pickle Eyes’, a tightly wound blast of melodic tension and explosive guitar-driven release. Equal parts melodic earworm and noisy joyride, the track barrels out of the gate with wiry guitars, explosive rhythms and an unmistakably off-kilter charm. It’s a tantalizing glimpse of an album that promises sharp hooks, combustible guitars and plenty of glorious left turns.
Scotty and Joe met over 20 years ago through a mutual friend, but it wasn’t until after the demise of Joe’s band Transit Belle around 2005 that they would collaborate. They formed the band Buteo, which eventually parted ways around 2010 after releasing one album and touring. While Joe pretty much stopped playing music, Scotty continued playing drums in Overlake and Stuyvesant, the latter of which he still plays with today. In 2022, Joe returned to songwriting, leading to the birth of Raised On Candy.
Raised On Candy’s self-titled debut album was recorded with legendary producer-engineer Steve Albini (Nirvana, Pixies, PJ Harvey, Robert Plant & Jimmy Page, The Breeders, Bush, Cheap Trick) at Electrical Audio and mastered by Matthew Barnhart (Superchunk, The New Pornographers, Bob Mould, The Mountain Goats) at Chicago Mastering Service. This would be one of the last records Steve ever worked on before passing away in May, adding a whole new level of emotion to this album, which would be released in July 2024.
“Joe had previously worked with Steve on a record for his band Transit Belle in 2002. Working with Steve was amazing. He made so many records we love; it was a no-brainer. He provided a ton of creative input into how the record should sound, and also added subtle but noticeable effects to make things amazing, as well as providing a ton of input as to the overall mix and vibe of the songs.”
On October 13th, ‘Red M&M’ is online everywhere digitally, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. The ‘Play Marbles On The Turnpike’ album, now available for pre-order, will be released on November 13th.
CREDITS
Music written by Joe Penna and Scotty Imp
Lyrics written by Joe Penna
Joe Penna – Guitar, Vocals, Bass, Synths
Scotty Imp – Drums, Cymbals, Percussion, Piano, Backing Vocals
Produced by Raised On Candy with Ray Ketchem
Engineered, Mixed & Mastered by Ray Ketchem
Recorded at Magic Door Recording, Montclair, NJ from October 2025 to June 2026
Artwork design by Ray Ketchem
Released by Magic Door Record Label
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR