American alt-rock outfit Raised On Candy presents their new single ‘Pickle Eyes’, a tightly wound blast of melodic tension and explosive guitar-driven release. The first warning shot ahead of their sophomore album ‘Play Marbles on the Turnpike’, forthcoming via Magic Door Record Label, the track sets the tone for a record that finds the duo expanding their noisy, hook-heavy sound and unruly edge.
A tightly wound blast of melodic tension and explosive guitar-driven release, the track sets the tone for a record that finds the duo expanding their noisy, hook-heavy sound without losing its wonderfully unruly edge. It’s the first warning shot from an album built to hit hard, take unexpected turns and linger long after the ride stops.
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.e
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.
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 from October 2025 to June 2026. With a minimalist interplay of melodic vocals, slow burn builds and massive hooks, their music unites precise rhythms with pyro-friendly guitars, transforming chaos into sharp, noisy rock.
“This song is about the personal enrichment that comes from having the courage to embrace the people and things that appear to be different from you. Without curiosity, we are choosing a life unlived, opting instead for intolerance and ignorance. Buy the ticket, take the ride,” says Joe Penna.
“We assembled this one as sort of a short scale boardwalk roller coaster – set the table with anticipation then let it all go with a couple of nice releases. After that, we give you a little time to catch your breath then bring it all back around one more time for the big finish. Once it stops, push the bar up and go get some zeppoles.”
Scotty Imp adds, “I remember ‘Pickle Eyes’ being written really quickly. I knew exactly what the drums were supposed to do before I could actually play the parts. I kept getting ahead of myself doing those big fills. I was excited that the song needed such expressive & energetic drum parts.”
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, eventually 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 September 15th, ‘Pickle Eyes’ will be released across digital platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. The ‘Play Marbles On The Turnpike’ album, which is 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
‘Pickle Eyes’ single artwork design by Ray Ketchem
Cover photo by Joe Penna
Released by Magic Door Record Label
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR