Kyle Nicolaides

If you’ve caught The Martyrs’ live show, chances are you never pictured frontman Kyle Nicolaides going the solo singer/songwriter route. Blessed with a gravelly purr and a penchant for air kicks, the kid seemed most at home in front of a raucous rock band, amps turned up to 11. But sans his mates, Nicolaides does more than shine—he comes into his own as a capable and talented songsmith. On Luna, Nicolaides’s chops (which sound like a cross between Julian Casablancas and Matthew Vasquez) wax and wane through five stripped-down, lovelorn ditties. “Isabelle” finds him speak-singing against a simple acoustic guitar line, while “Coldspring Mountain” mixes twangy folk instrumentation with layered vocals to create something simultaneously homey and somber. It’s a juggling act that leaves us concurrently impressed and eager for more. Nicolaides plays a CD release party for Luna at Yoga Soup (28 Parker Wy.) this Thursday, July 8, at 8:30 p.m. Call 965-8811 or visit myspace.com/kylenicolaides.