![\"MLC](\"http:\/\/houstonmusicreview.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/MLC-1.2016-199-1-216x300.jpg\")
<\/a>Southwest Regional Folk Alliance is a great gathering of acts that happens every September in Austin, Texas. Rose and I have attended the past five years and have nurtured some great relationships with acts that we have seen and broke bread with.\u00a0 One such act was by the catchy name of Mystery Loves Company.\u00a0 Carlos Machado and Maddy Herdeman are two of the nicest people we\u2019ve encountered at SWRFA and at that first meeting they were all \u201cears\u201d. They actually met at the venue this night on an Open Mic night in 2012.\u00a0 MH plays electric cello and CM guitar.\u00a0 Vocals are handled well by both. The phrase \u201cyou have to see them to believe them\u201d fits like a glove!<\/p>\nThe duo has amped it up and grown to a killer five piece that graced the stage at this acoustic gem and it sounded wonderful.\u00a0\u00a0 Alauna Rubin (clarinet), Jeremy Dudman (bass), and Danny Patterson (drums) are the welcome additions who bolster the main stay duo up front.\u00a0 Getting a full rare time slot with 7:30pm start enhanced the experience big time and they got a nice crowd, too. Maddy\u2019s first written song ever kicked it off, \u201cMuddy Blue\u201d, complete with finger snappin\u2019 tempo. The lady has dolled her cute self up and can turn on the sexy jammin\u2019 on her cello which in itself sounds odd, but so true. The bluesy soulful nature of their vocals backed by clarinet is a dynamite mix backed by thumping bass and strong skins. \u201cAliens\u201d has a radio ready sound and to add to their out of nowhere mystique were killer covers of\u00a0 Partridge Family\u2019s \u201cI Think I Love You\u201d and rockin\u2019 drawn out Pearl Jam\u2019s \u201cBetter Man\u201d!\u00a0 \u201cTonight I Know\u201d spotlighted Maddy\u2019s gentle voice that has incredible range and Carlos\u2019 blends with her honey sweet.\u00a0 They showed how versatile they have become with a Spanish tune tossed in also.<\/p>\n
![\"MLC](\"http:\/\/houstonmusicreview.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/MLC-1.2016-221-1-300x238.jpg\")
<\/a>MLC ooze complete control and confidence the more we see them play. You can feel the modest chemistry growing amongst the members. Their talent has really had an upward climb since their early duo days and it shined on tunes like “If Heaven”, \u201cLila\u201d, “Rambunctious Cowboy” and \u201cThe Impossibility of Us\u201d.\u00a0 The comedic banter is there also with Maddy sharing her real job stories of youngster\u2019s insights at her cello teaching classes along with Carlo\u2019s Venezuela accent barkin\u2019 out subtle jabs all night.\u00a0 Carlos complimented the crowd for coming out to support them and they remain a humble down to earth team that is enjoying the ride. Listening is a virtue and y\u2019all should try them on for size yourself\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n