Alternative rock duo Raised On Candy return with “Red M&M,” their new single and the second preview of Play Marbles on the Turnpike, their upcoming album due November 13 via Magic Door Record Label. Following the release of “Pickle Eyes” on September 15, the band continue to shape their distinctive blend of noisy guitars, infectious melodies, driving rhythms, and raw alternative rock energy.

Featuring Joe Penna on vocals and guitars and Scotty Imp on drums and percussion, Raised On Candy draw on decades of shared musical experience to deliver a sound that balances melodic immediacy with the unpredictable edge of underground rock. On “Red M&M,” the duo explore darker themes of desire, manipulation, and confrontation. According to Penna, the song tells the story of someone who uses fear to obtain what another person possesses, disguising their intentions as seduction, before the balance of power shifts in an unexpected showdown reminiscent of the biblical story of David and Goliath.

The new single offers a glimpse into the direction of Play Marbles on the Turnpike, an album that promises to expand the duo’s noisy, hook-driven approach while retaining its raw intensity. Produced by Raised On Candy alongside Ray Ketchem, the record was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Magic Door Recording Studio in Montclair, New Jersey, with sessions taking place between October 2025 and June 2026. Ketchem’s credits include work with Guided By Voices, Luna, Elk City, Gramercy Arms, and The Dambuilders.

The forthcoming release follows the band’s self-titled debut, released in July 2024 and recorded at Electrical Audio in Chicago with legendary producer and engineer Steve Albini. Known for his work with Nirvana, Pixies, PJ Harvey, and The Breeders, Albini died in May 2024, making the album one of the final records he worked on. The collaboration was particularly meaningful for Penna, who had previously worked with Albini on a Transit Belle recording in 2002.

The musical partnership between Penna and Imp stretches back more than twenty years. Before forming Raised On Candy, the pair played together in Buteo, releasing an album and touring for approximately a decade. Following the group’s breakup, Imp continued performing with Overlake and Stuyvesant, while Penna returned to songwriting in 2022, ultimately bringing the two musicians together again in their current project.

Drawing inspiration from influential alternative and underground rock acts including Fugazi, Soundgarden, Pixies, Queens of the Stone Age, Quicksand, and Sonic Youth, Raised On Candy combine abrasive guitar textures and forceful rhythms with memorable hooks and a strong sense of dynamics.

“Red M&M” is available now, ahead of the album’s release on November 13 via Magic Door Record Label.

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