Schooner lead-singer Reid Johnson says that the Chapel Hill band's new Duck Key Sessions EP is a result of trying to achieve a brighter, cleaner pop style. "Feel Better," the opener from that album, lives up to that idea — well, it does sonically anyway. Light and frothy, it transitions from a washboard intro into a sunny melody and "Wooo-Oooo" backing vocals. In sound it's as bubbly as anything Schooner has created so far. But the lyrics reveal nervous uncertainty. Addressing a love interest, Johnson shyly wraps his luxurious croon around worries that she might not stick around. "If they sent you away, would you write home everyday with your list of complaints and the ghost that still remains? If they locked you up and threw away the key, would you be happy?" he queries with a jollity that gives way to passionate concern. With its catchy sound and poignant words, it hits at the heart of the unpredictable up and downs of a relationship.
Schooner has a busy week lined up. Tomorrow the band plays Trekky Records' Carolina Jubilee at Austin's South by Southwest Festival, and on Sunday it's slated to open for Deerhunter at Cat's Cradle. So download the song, and get excited for Sunday. If you like what you hear, the whole EP is available at CyTunes.org.
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