SAFARI ROOM
”CUT OUT” OUT MAY 16th
“Cut Out” will be released May 16th, 2025.
The song is about unrequited love, falling head over heels but they don’t feel the same way. Then, in the aftermath, you can’t put the cat back in the bag and suppress those feelings. I wrote this song after a relationship fell apart in this way, causing me to reconsider the relationship entirely and having to ultimately sever ties. This song poured out of me, and like the outro of the song, was stream of consciousness, digging into the anguish of the loss. Not only did I lose a potential romantic partner, but I also lost a friend. This song is for anyone who’s ever experienced this heartache.
This track is the second of three acoustic songs I am releasing this Spring. The others are “Pale Blue” and “The Hero” (which was released on April 11th). They are an exercise for me in stripping everything away and focusing on the SONG. The EP, titled “Kindling” is an expression of simplicity and telling stories, very much like songs around a campfire. These songs are incredibly personal and some of the deepest songs I’ve written to date.
ABOUT SAFARI ROOM
Safari Room (indie rock collective from Nashville, TN) is an emotive and atmospheric music experience. Combining introspective songwriting with lush instrumentation, Safari Room’s music is both dreamy and raw. Safari Room draws on influences from alternative rock, indie pop, and post-rock, often exploring themes of mental health, personal growth, and relationships.
With three studio albums, two EPs and two live albums under the outfit’s belt, Safari Room has garnered a dedicated following for their immersive live performances and their ability to craft songs that resonate on a personal level. Safari Room’s sound is characterized by sweeping guitars, dynamic arrangements, and Koukol’s evocative vocals, all coming together to create a unique and reflective listening experience.
Would it be better just to cut you out,
become a ghost and never speak to you again?
Would it be better just to cut you out?
I don’t know if I am strong enough to go back to being friends.
You’re like a splinter in my thumb,
far too deep to rip out now.
Over time, I'm told, it’ll work its way on out.
But I keep picking. I keep wishing for this feeling to go away.
Then, I look down at my hand, and you’re still there.
But when you’re gone, will I miss the pain?
Will I wish it would come back, or will I be in a better place?
Would it be better just to cut you out,
become a ghost and never speak to you again?
Would it be better just to cut you out?
I don’t know if I am strong enough to go back to being friends.
You’re like a tattoo on my mind,
one that I’ve come to regret.
I wish I could erase your face and just forget
that I was smitten. I’ve been bitten and have fallen head over heels
for a man who cannot feel the way I wish that he could feel.
But if you did, would I miss the pain?
Am I a masochist, or am I slowly finding my own way?
Would it be better just to cut you out,
become a ghost and never speak to you again?
Would it be better just to cut you out?
I don’t know if I am strong enough to go back to being friends.
You’re like a splinter in my thumb,
a thorn right through my side.
You are the salt and the wound.
You are an itch that won't subside.
You’re always nipping at my heels,
you’re like an engine light aflame.
You are the ringing in my ears,
a constant memory of the pain.
You’re like a never ending siren.
You are famine and you are feast.
You’re the monster underneath my bed,
a mosquito on a leash.
A bad penny always turning up,
I will never shake you loose.
I’m a ticking bomb when you’re around.
You’re the match, and I’m your fuse.
You’re like a tattoo on my mind,
you are the one that I can’t have.
Every time I think I’m healing,
you’ll find me picking at the scab.
“CUT OUT” CREDITS
Music & Lyrics Written by Alec Koukol
Engineered by Adrian James (AJ)
Mixed by Scottie Prudoe
Mastered by Preston Cochran
Artwork by Ryan Davison