MYND READER’s Self-Titled Debut Album

PROMOTIONAL

At the center of MYND READER is Brian Sachs, a musician whose career has been steeped in intensity. Long before this new chapter, he was the drummer for The Authority, a Bill Graham-managed New York jam band that stormed through the ’90s with relentless energy. Sharing stages with acts like Phish, Blues Traveler, and the Dave Matthews Band, Sachs cut his teeth in Manhattan’s legendary jam-rock scene. 

“If the Authority was fueled by youthful chaos and raw adrenaline, Mynd Reader is the grown version of that fire,” Sachs says. “It’s shaped by digging into the soul. Back then I was chasing success; today I’m searching for truth. This album is the bridge between the guy I was in my twenties and the man I’ve become.”

The band’s trio is completed by multi-instrumentalist Tonin and vocalist/guitarist Shelby Kemp. Sachs and Tonin, longtime collaborators, transformed Sachs’ deeply personal “downloads,” raw lyrics written during periods of grief, into cinematic soundscapes. When Kemp joined, his commanding voice and Southern rasp gave the songs their heartbeat. “Tonin lays down the backbone of the songs, I pour in the heart, and Shelby brings them to life with his voice,” Sachs explains. On stage, bassist Zach Jackson and keyboardist Chris Spies round out the live experience, bringing the album’s dynamic energy to life.

MYND READER’s sound resists easy categorization. The band merges soulful rock, Americana, and classic influences into a cohesive, modern rock identity. Their music channels the immediacy of The Black Crowes, the atmospheric sweep of My Morning Jacket, the raw intensity of Chris Stapleton, and the lyrical introspection of Wilco and Ray LaMontagne. Singles like “Mourning Light” and “Home” have begun climbing the Mediabase charts across formats, reaching far beyond their Colorado roots.

The album’s ten tracks chart a journey from collapse to clarity, weaving grief, transformation, and resilience. “These songs came from moments when my life felt like it was unraveling,” Sachs says. “Losing loved ones, personal setbacks, big changes. I wanted the record to feel like someone reaching out and saying, you’re not alone.” 

“Home,” the record’s emotional centerpiece, crystallizes MYND READER’s mission. The soaring anthem explores belonging, whether to a person, a town, a memory, or a song, and the rare moments when strangers in a room suddenly feel connected. The track received airplay over Thanksgiving weekend on Out Of Order, Ted Stryker’s nationally syndicated iHeart program that broadcasts on ALT 98.7 Los Angeles. Stryker, the legendary LA alt-rock host and former KROQ morning co-anchor, introduced the sentimental rocker to listeners on more than 20 stations nationwide.

The song and album’s sonic identity is elevated by seven-time GRAMMY winning mixer Michael Brauer. Known for his work (Rolling Stones, Coldplay, My Morning Jacket), Brauer strives to imbue each track with analog warmth and lived-in authenticity. “The first time I heard MYND READER, it reminded me of Paul Rodgers and Bad Company, that raw, unfiltered rock energy,” Brauer recalls. He focused on bold guitars, natural vocals, and drums with a seasoned feel.

With hundreds of thousands of streams already building momentum, MYND READER’s debut believes that rock can remain raw, spiritual, and transformative. 

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