The Jane Austen Argument are a Melbourne, Australia-based indie cabaret noir duo who combine raw ballads and sharp tongues with chaotic abandon and overtones of anti-folk and punk love. Brought together through a chance cigarette break encounter (I have a cabaret show and need a pianist. I’m a cabaret pianist in need of a show…), a shared love of Regina Spektor, Nick Cave, dressups and theatrical musical convention, The Jane Austen Argument’s Tom Dickins and Jen Kingwell have been playing together since around September 2009, although it mostly seems a lot longer.