Introducing... James Levy, man and band

But for everyone who makes it big, there are always stories of those they left behind.

In Spektor's case, this might include James Levy, the boyfriend who she allegedly dumped for singer Julian Casablancas, after being invited on tour with the Stroke and his band.

A young balladeer who started out solo, playing gigs at the Sidewalk in the NYC's Lower East Village, Levy was part of the scene that was known as the "anti-folk movement", which included Mouldy Peaches (Adam Greene), Kimya Woods, Spektor and others that were scooped up by the music industry.

But rather than moping in self-pity after the break-up, Levy sat down and wrote the bulk of his debut album, gathered a full band behind him and made a big splash in the Big Apple.

Fast forward a few years, and Levy has gone from strength to strength. His band – who share his surname – have had a lightening-quick rise up NYC music scene ladder, after playing high-profile gigs with Athlete, Razorlight, Adam Greene and The Zutons.

Now on their second album and signed to One Little Indian, the band come to Cabaret Voltaire on Wednesday to showcase their tightly-knitted jangling pop at Duty Free – a run of free-entry gigs bringing up-and-coming acts and homegrown bands to the Capital.

"Nobody wants to play alone, I'm not suited to it," says Levy of getting a band behind him and leaving his anti-folk roots behind.

"You can't get girls playing alone. Not even Bob Dylan wanted to play alone," he adds.

"Is Beck a solo artist? Sure, but he doesn't just pitch up with an acoustic and play, he's got a band. Evolving is so important. Is Bright Eyes a band or solo artist? It constantly changes, and that's what Levy is all about."

Levy grew up in Vermont, a small state in the New England region of north-east America, before moving to "the romance and mystery" of New York's East Village, where he became a familiar face of the bars and boho joints.

Moving in the claustrophobic anti-folk circles, he played nightly from one bar to another, but never considered it ideal.

"It was considered idyllic, but it was lonely," he says about that scene. "You know everyone says you feel at your most lonely when surrounded by loads of people? It's so true."

Having tired of the loneliness of the scene, and having teamed up with other musos, Levy and his band recorded their first album.

Rotten Love was a stunning record, full of strong melodies and vivid memories, but the underlying theme was a very dark one.

"I tend to write about death and relationships, and the death of relationships," he confesses, "but I cannot tell you why."

If that album was released to a strong underground buzz in and around NYC, then follow-up effort Glorious is an assured statement by a young band with the potential to make a big noise internationally in 2008.

See for yourself when they make their Capital debut at Cabaret Voltaire next week.

Duty Free presents Levy, Cabaret Voltaire, Blair Street, Wednesday, 7pm, free, 0131-220 6176