What United States of Tara and Austin music have in common

So, R. and I are now obsessed with Diablo Cody's rad series on Showtime, United States of Tara. It's about a mom (Toni Collette) who has multiple personality disorder, and Aidan (er, John Corbett) plays her husband. It's bizarre, sometimes dirty. We love it terribly.

But before I explain what this has to do with Austin - guys, do you remember vintage Toni Collette? Before she got cast as 5,000 middle age American moms? She's a ridiculous bombshell:

Right?

This was before The Sixth Sense, before Little Miss Sunshine, and certainly before The United States of Tara, where she plays - among other things - a man named "Buck." It's one of her personalities, and this particular individual thinks he's a 'Nam vet who watches porn, hits on bowling alley women, and makes rude gestures with his pelvis - and make-believe penis.

Anyway. Did you know that Kat Edmonson - who I have just now become a little bit obsessed with - had a song on the premiere episode? ("Lucky"). R. and I saw her once at Central Market, and she's this tiny, pretty little thing. She possesses one of those child-like voices that almost sounds like a four year old is speaking to you. (But in an auditorily-mind-blowing way.)

I love, love her spare, jazzy version of The Cure's "Just Like Heaven." People, this song is making me nuts. Seriously, if you have a second, stop reading and go to her MySpace page linked above.

Did you do it? Are you freaking?

Well lucky readers, Kat is playing tomorrow night with several others. My good friend Rose Reyes, whose kids I used to babysit (!) is putting together this Austin-tony lineup at Antone's, and it looks like a pretty big deal:



KUT darling Drew Smith will also be playing. I've heard you many a time on "Ekletikos," sir. Also, someone who I've been hearing a lot about lately - Jeff Lofton and his jazz trumpet, along with equally astonishing dreadlocks - will be there. The Austin American-Statesman recently compared him to Miles Davis.

Other musical guests include Guy Forsythe, Dan Dyer, and Randy Weeks. It goes down at 6pm at Antone's - where Lykke Li recently played - and tickets are $10.

Here's a little more ear candy from the Dan Dyer corner. Forgive the NPR intro.