Categories: Music

RAISED ON CANDY Shares ‘Pickle Eyes’

Montclair, New Jersey alt-rock duo Raised On Candy has released Pickle Eyes, the lead single from their forthcoming album Play Marbles On The Turnpike. Produced by Ray Ketchem and the band, the track previews the duo’s evolving hook-heavy sound following their Steve Albini-produced self-titled debut album.

The single Pickle Eyes arrives on digital platforms on September 15 via Magic Door Record Label, followed by the full album on November 13. Lyrically, the song encourages curiosity and embracing differences, expanding the band’s energetic rock style recorded at Magic Door Recording Studio.

RAISED ON CANDY shares ‘Pickle Eyes’, announcing follow-up album to Steve Albini-produced debut

FOR FANS OF Fugazi, Soundgarden, Queens Of The Stone Age

Montclair, NJ alt-rock duo Raised On Candy—comprising Joe Penna and Scotty Imp—are ushering in a new era with Pickle Eyes, the first taste of a follow-up album to their Steve Albini-produced debut. The single showcases wiry guitars, explosive rhythms, melodic hooks, and the distinctive off-kilter energy fans have come to expect.

Pickle Eyes marks a collaboration with Magic Door Record Label, continuing Raised On Candy’s evolution after their self-titled debut. For this album, the band worked with producer Ray Ketchem (Guided By Voices, Luna, Elk City, Gramercy Arms, The Dambuilders). Ketchem also engineered, mixed, and mastered the record at Magic Door Recording Studio in Montclair from October 2025 to June 2026.

Joe Penna describes Pickle Eyes as a song about embracing people and things that seem different, noting that without curiosity, we risk choosing a life unlived and tolerating intolerance and ignorance. Scotty Imp adds that the track is conceived as a short-scale boardwalk roller coaster—built with anticipation, released in bursts, and finished with a climactic finish.

Key credits for Pickle Eyes include:

Music written by Joe Penna and Scotty Imp; Lyrics 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 (October 2025–June 2026)
Pickle Eyes single artwork by Ray Ketchem; Cover photo by Joe Penna
Released by Magic Door Record Label; Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR

Find Pickle Eyes on Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, and more. You can explore the music and pre-order options at the following:

Pickle Eyes on DistroKid
Raised On Candy on Bandcamp
Raised On Candy on Spotify
Raised On Candy on Apple Music
Play Marbles On The Turnpike album (pre-order)
Play Marbles On The Turnpike pre-save
Raised On Candy – Raised On Candy album (2024)
Spotify album
YouTube videos: Soft Metal and Ora

Album details and critical reception excerpts highlight Albini’s involvement as part of Raised On Candy’s lineage. The self-titled debut was recorded with Steve Albini at Electrical Audio and mastered by Matthew Barnhart at Chicago Mastering Service. Albini’s passing in May adds a layer of significance to this forthcoming material, described by Joe Penna as a record that blends Albini’s live, full-band sound with an atmosphere that echoes the band’s noisy, hook-heavy edge.

For those following the project, Pickle Eyes is set for digital release on September 15, with formats including Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp. The band invites listeners to stay tuned for the broader rollout of the forthcoming album Play Marbles On The Turnpike, due November 13 via Magic Door Record Label. The album is described as a progression in Raised On Candy’s sound, expanding their noisy, hook-heavy style while preserving their unruly edge.

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