Count to Ten

Tina Dico (Defend)

For those who familiarise themselves with Tina Dico and her new "Count to Ten," the strongest impression the singer might leave them is that she's attractive.
That's not sexism -- plenty of good-looking male singer/songwriters have similar problems when they aren't obviously gifted -- but the downfall of Dico seems to be more her methodology than her mediocrity.
The Danish performer plays it subtle, way too subtle, on "Count to Ten," a humorless and largely colorless folk-pop endeavor. Dico does do pain and misery well, which is all some might be looking for, and though she's reluctant to emote with her seemingly strong alto voice, she can nail it when she tries. For example, her pretty intonations on the title refrain of "You Know Better" adds depth to an otherwise flat song, and she taps into impressive range on "Night Cab." Even better, Dico shows anguished heart as she drains the long notes of "Cruel to the Sensitive Kind," laying bare her vulnerability on lines like, "When it seems so clear that you really don't care, suddenly you call."
On much of the rest of "Count to Ten," however, Dico is disconnected and mopey, plodding through the schlocky, faux-modern-country "Open Wide," and blandly going through the motions on "Everybody Knows."
It certainly doesn't help that the arrangements are likewise restrained, built on unobtrusive guitars and keyboards.
Meanwhile, although Dico's strident delivery of the title-track opener is a tonal contrast to her disinterested singing on other cuts, the song is essentially a lyrical panic attack. Most listeners probably already have their fill of hearing people stress out and could do without Dico unloading on them, too.|