… Read Full Bio ↴Abandon Kansas is a four piece indie rock outfit from Wichita, Kansas.
Jeremy Spring - Vocals and Guitar
Brian Scheideman - Drums and Backing Tracks
Brad Foster - Guitar and Michael Jackson Moves
Chet Kueffer - Bass
This band is known for putting on a relentlessly energetic show and has been winning over crowds in over 35 states with their catchy indie dance songs for the last two years. From San Diego to Seattle, Pensacola to Minneapolis, the love for Abandon Kansas is spreading, and it’s spreading fast. With influences in the direction of The Killers, Jonezetta and Muse, musically mixed with the creativity and passion of bands we all love like Mute Math and Copeland, it’s no wonder the word is traveling so quickly. Their new acoustic EP “The Earth Falls Asleep” is the wildly satisfying follow up to their 2008 full length release “You Build A Wall, I’ll Build A Ladder,” and is getting a lot of buzz with both fans and those in the industry. Abandon Kansas is four guys with a heart for music and a passion for people.
In the Spring of 2009 Abandon Kansas signed with Gotee Records owned by known Christian Rapper TobyMac. Frontman Jeremy Spring said, "Signing with Gotee let us stay being a band who travels to the small venues and lets us do our own thing, and gives us the freedom between playing "Secular" and "Christian" music."
In September of 2009 the band released a 6 song EP entitled "We're All Going Somewhere" under Gotee Records. The band also spent time in the fall to record their rendition of "O Come, All Ye Faithful", which was released to iTunes and other music sites.
In June of 2010, the band went back in with Producer Mark Townsend (O.C. Supertones, The Wedding, House of Heroes Relient K) and finished up a full length album to be released at a later date.
At the beginning of February 2011, AK started promotion for their new album. To kick things off they released "The Golden State - Single" EP on iTunes that featured the upcoming song "The Golden State", as well as a acoustic version of "Close Your Eyes" featuring fellow Gotee artist Stephanie Smith. The single also featured the video shot and directed by Tim Dodd, which shows Jeremy making his way throughout Hollywood and the surrounding area. Dodd had also shot the video for "I Wonder If It's Me" while on the road with the band in 2010.
In March of 2011, the band with new bassist Chet Kueffer released their second full length album entitled "Ad Astra Per Aspera", which is the Kansas state motto (Latin of Virgil: To the Stars With Difficulties). The album features 11 songs, featuring a remake of "Minutes" from You Build a Wall, I'll Build a Ladder entitled "Liar". The album features a more matured AK. Jeremy's smooth, and developed voice in front of a well rounded group of layers. The lead lines Brad and Mark helped lay down are melodic, and tasty. Chet provides a new punchy and deep bass sound to the band, and Brian rounds out the group with a wide variety including Dance/Disco beats, to a more relaxed Rock. The band released "The Golden State" as the single. With "Heaven Come My Way" and "A Conversation With The Sky" as the next two.
Their mission is to offer a music scene that is over-saturated with hardcore some genuine songs that cut to the core of who we are. Instead of break downs, it a dance party and everyone is invited.
They have shared the stage with The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, As Cities Burn, Haste The Day, A Change of Pace, The Classic Crime, So They Say, Inhale/Exhale, Waking Ashland, Kids in the Way, Showbread, Spoken, Ruth, The Send, This Day and Age, Disciple, Rookie of the Year, Paulson, The Umbrellas, Rory, Olympia, Nevertheless, Sullivan, Chasing Victory, Lost Ocean, Audio Adrenaline, Fireflight, Jonah 33, Cool Hand Luke, Dizmas, Thousand Foot Krutch, Last Tuesday, Quietdrive, Dave Mellilo, Hundred Year Storm, New Atlantic, Monday Morning, Lorene Drive, Agent Sparks, Down to Earth Approach, and Red, among others.
http://www.myspace.com/abandonkansas
Mirror
Abandon Kansas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Same thing on repeat
Just a muted echo
This never ending
Though i am free
Still won′t guarantee
This American dream
Will make me happy
When i look in the mirror
An open door to the deeper
This skin i am buried in
Tell me my name again
Just a face in the mirror
And it's not getting better
Till it occurred to me
I′m as young as I'll ever be
Is this all these hands will ever hold?
Is it enough to fill my grave?
I keep begging for the answers
But in the glass they will remain
I'm so sick of trying
Is this living or dying
I can′t fake it anymore
It′s not getting better
I'm not getting better
When i look in the mirror
An open door to the deeper
This skin i am buried in
Tell me my name again
Just a face in the mirror
And it′s not getting better
Till it occurred to me
I'm as young as I′ll ever be
I'm as young as I′ll ever be
I can't help but thinking
At some point
It doesn't matter
And God can sweep the rug out from under you whenever he wants
The song "Mirror" by Abandon Kansas touches upon the theme of identity crisis and the relentless pursuit of happiness, which is the quintessential American dream. The singer of the song is trapped in a monotonous routine, living the same day every day, and even though they are technically free, the hope for happiness seems like a distant dream. The lyrics suggest that despite having everything in life, there is still a void that needs to be filled. The recurring line "just a face in the mirror" represents the confusion and detachment from one's identity that the singer is experiencing.
The second verse of the song reveals the singer's fear of death and not being able to find answers to the meaning of life. The line "Is this living or dying, I can't fake it anymore" suggests resignation and the acceptance of the fact that they are not in control of their life. The song ends on a note of realization that the singer is as young as they will ever be, which underscores the transience of life and the need to live in the present moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Wake up, fall asleep
Life feels repetitive, like it's the same thing over and over again
Same thing on repeat
No matter what you do, life never seems to change
Just a muted echo
The things you do and say feel like they have no impact
This never ending
The cycle of life continues without any clear end in sight
Though i am free
Even though you have the freedom to make choices, life still feels restrictive
Still won′t guarantee
Having freedom doesn't necessarily lead to happiness or success
This American dream
The pursuit of the traditional American dream doesn't guarantee happiness
Will make me happy
The idea that material success will lead to happiness is a flawed one
When i look in the mirror
Taking a look at yourself and reflecting on your life
An open door to the deeper
The reflection allows for introspection and deeper self-awareness
This skin i am buried in
Feeling trapped by physical limitations and the constraints of society
Tell me my name again
As if questioning your purpose and identity in life
Just a face in the mirror
Feeling like just another average person with no particular direction or purpose
And it's not getting better
Despite efforts to improve, life doesn't seem to be improving
Till it occurred to me
The realization that an individual's limited time on Earth means they should make the most of it
I'm as young as I'll ever be
Recognizing that one's youth is temporary, and there's no better time than now to take action
Is this all these hands will ever hold?
Questioning whether the things you possess are all you'll ever have, and whether that is enough
Is it enough to fill my grave?
Wondering if material possessions or achievements will matter in the end
I keep begging for the answers
Seeking answers, guidance, and purpose in life
But in the glass they will remain
Realizing that the answers won't come from external sources; they must be found within oneself
I'm so sick of trying
Feeling exhausted from striving for things that seem unreachable
Is this living or dying
Questioning whether the current way of life is truly living or just existing
I can't fake it anymore
Feeling like it's impossible to pretend that everything is okay when it's not
I'm not getting better
Feeling like your situation is getting worse with time
I can't help but thinking
Having a nagging feeling in the back of one's mind
At some point
Realizing that at some time in your life, you'll reach a critical point
It doesn't matter
The things you thought were important may not be significant at the end of the day
And God can sweep the rug out from under you whenever he wants
The realization that the future is uncertain, and any sense of stability could be taken away at any moment
Writer(s): Jeremy Spring
Contributed by Alex V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.