Tina Dico - September 2007 Flower-Powered Artist @ KGRL.fm.

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Official Website: http://www.tinadico.com
MySpace Page: http://www.myspace.com/tinadico

So you’ve been writing songs and you feel like you are ready to record your very first album, what should you do? You can borrow money from the bank, start up your own record label, record and release your album… Just the way Tina Dico did it. Tina’s success sprung from a very important factor for independent artists: believe in what you are doing. Indeed, the success that she continually reaps stemmed from her strong determination and passion for music.

Tina Dico or Dickow (proper spelling) was born and raised in Aarhus, Denmark on 1977. Her musical journey started out as autobiographical in nature. Tina started writing songs with an old beaten up piano in their basement at a very young age. Writing verse after verse of events in her teenage life, her musical journal started to get a lot more personal. Later on, she picked up the guitar and it became the instrument she is widely identified with.

With regards to formal education, Tina attended a course in religion to learn more about Philosophy and Western Civilization. But then she soon realized that it was music that she’s really interested in. So she attended the Danish Royal College of Music to try to do music properly. Alas, while schooling certainly contributed to her musical knowledge, she felt like it was not helping her find her musical identity. After only a couple of years into it, she bailed out.

The old basement certainly wouldn’t be able to contain a talent such as Tina’s, as she soon thereafter started her own band. Starting with a cover band (singing grunge and classic rock - from Pearl Jam to Jimi Hendrix) then swinging to several other bands writing original music, all of which provided her a glimpse of the music biz. It only kept her wanting to achieve something bigger. And so she did when she finally decided to start her own label in 2000 and named it The Finest Gramophone. The label was a means to release her independently produced record in 2001, "Fuel." Even though the first record did not achieve its full potential, it has sparked interest amongst critics.

To further her career, she made the necessary move to London where she wrote for a lot of other artists. She then went back to Denmark and began writing her second record, "Notes." Released in 2003, Notes was well-received by critics and won Tina several awards in songwriting categories. "Notes" has a raw sound and is very far from being a mainstream album, but that did nothing to hinder the record’s success – it got by through by the word of mouth.

It was just after recording Notes when she got the big shot at collaborating with Zero 7. The collaboration brought forth two tracks in Zero 7’s second full-length "When It Falls" namely: "Home" and "The Space Between." The tour that followed the album release gave Tina the much deserved exposure. It was in between the time of her Zero 7 collaboration and her move to London where she wrote songs for what then became her third full-length, "In The Red."

2005's "In The Red" was the most successful album Tina had released so far. Building on the success of her second record coupled with her recent collaboration with Zero 7, "In The Red" was a chart topper. It broke all sorts of records in Denmark, even surpassing Coldplay and U2’s records along the way. Suffice it is to say, this third record made Tina a big star not only in Denmark, but throughout the whole UK. The US market, having only gotten the "Far" EP in 2004, finally caught up with Denmark’s talent and was blessed with the local release of "In The Red" through Defend Music label.

With Tina’s visit in the US last June 2007, she brought with her the six-track EP, titled “A Beginning," that was only sold in her shows. This highly collectible EP is the first of a planned trilogy that will only be produced in limited quantities and only sold in shows.

September 3, 2007 sees the release of Tina’s fourth album "Count To Ten" in Denmark. While it has not yet been released at the time of this article, critics and media are sighting this recording as her most important and personal release to date.

KGRL proudly presents September 2007 Flower-Powered Artist of the Month, Tina Dico. This month’s feature includes CD reviews of In The Red and the new full-length, Count To Ten. You also get to see some photos as well as video streams of Tina's June 2007 performance in one of Los Angeles’ hotspot, Largo. But that’s not all! We have taken the usual comprehensive KGRL interviews into new heights… Presenting, the very first KGRL video interview! Get to enjoy the exclusive interview that now comes in video, audio and transcribed form!

KGRL had a chance to go on a one on one interview with the very lovely and extremely talented Tina Dico after her Largo show in Los Angeles - 06.20.07. Full transcript as well as high/low quality audio segments of the interview is available in the interview page.

Watch the exclusive Tina Dico video interview using the player below!
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Tina Dico Video Interview (Click to launch the player!)
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You can also listen to Tina Dico's responses in High Quality MP3 Stream using the player below:

Transcription excerpt from the interview:

KGRL: What was your inspiration when you wrote each of the songs from In The Red?

Tina Dico: In The Red was very much like a collage of vibes and experiences from after I moved from Denmark to London and the time it followed, which was the strangest time. I didn’t really know why I was there. I was really beating myself up being in London. I didn’t know anyone there. I moved into an unfurnished flat in the middle of London. I’m thinking about what I’ve left. Why am I doing this? What is this about? Is this self-destruction? Was this the search for the perfect life, the big dream out there somewhere? Lots of confusion… I don’t know. Then I started touring. The whole touring life is a mess.

KGRL: How about in the new record?

Tina Dico: Well, like I’ve said during the show, I’ve realized that this album is very much about running, running away. There are quite a few songs about… I suppose maybe I’m just a stereotypical example of how nowadays we all have to create our own identities totally from scratch. Like there’s nothing given beforehand. We can do everything we want to.

I kind of felt like I’ve got to go everywhere, I’ve got to try everything to be able to make any kind of conclusion about where I want to go; who I want to go there with; what I want to be… So there’s this whole sort of restlessness - always running from one thing to the other to find out and to capture everything.

I think that vibe is definitely very present on the new album. The feeling that I’ve been trying to create this life for myself where no one asks anything from me - I can go anywhere I want, anytime. As one of the songs say (On The Run) "It looks like freedom. It looks like lots fun. But really I’m just on the run."

-> READ the full transcript along with high/low quality mp3 of the Interview by Clicking Here! <-

Tina Dico’s third album is the most successful Tina has had so far. It is a huge accomplishment for an independently recorded and produced album to dominate the charts, easily beating out even some of the most successful artists/bands along the way. Sure, it made a breakthrough in the charts - but that alone does not equate to it being a good record. So how does it stack up to KGRL’s scrutiny?

The non-folk obscure sounding track, Losing, opens the record in delightful reverie. The background music revels in its melancholic state. The song effectively conveys a sense of losing something or someone as it gets accentuated by a clock-like hammering of notes within the verses with relief coming through the choruses. It is truly a moving piece.

Warm Sand follows the same suit of melancholic bliss. The rich, warm and full sound of the accompaniment complements Tina’s deep soothing and powerfully sensual voice. It’s very pleasant to hear a song drenched in all its emotional complexity sung by an artist whose voice exudes confidence.

From the wonderfully strummed guitar intro up to the fading last note, Nobody’s Man screams of class and quality. The song speaks of a clichéd flawed relationship theme delivered in a "matter-of-fact" manner. This song is quite a standout track.

The City is a soothing song to listen to. It’s a track where you can just close your eyes, relax and have Tina take you through a musical exposition based on her experiences. Perhaps it’s much about her move to London that greatly affected her - "You don’t change the city. The city changes you." - when she wrote this track.

Give In on the other hand, is probably the most radio friendly track in the CD – I really mean that in a very good way. While some may shun away from radio friendly sounding tracks, this is really a joy to listen to. This music itself gives an uplifting feeling, while the masterfully crafted lyrics talk about giving in to our "confusion." Maybe she’s right… maybe a necessity for us is our struggles in life – that’s what defines us after all.

The title track, In The Red, is simply beautiful. I’d have to say that this is one of them instant favorites in this CD. Tina’s vocal prowess shines much in this track. The background music is just perfect, especially when the piano track comes in – it greatly complements the wonderfully played guitar. I’d also have to say that Tina have made great use of the new loop repeater gadget she’s now using in her shows with this song (check out the video section and notice how she records her guitar and vocals to be the back-up near the end).

While I’m still left to wonder on what a Head Shop is (perhaps metaphorical), the track delivers quite a pleasing pop rock tune – even if it doesn’t standout amongst the best in the album. The same goes for the song Use Me, except for the catchier chorus.

The acoustic laden track, Room With A View, is another of the excellent tracks in this CD. This track bears Tina’s most intimate entry in this musical journal. Being one of the first songs she wrote in this CD, it reflects in detail her experiences of the time she moved to London. The very simple arrangement of this track helps get into the intimacy, it feels more like a friend relaying experiences – exactly what makes this track highly successful in that regards.

Another radio friendly track comes in with My Mirror, which is not a bad song. In fact, it is pretty much a solid pop-rock song. We have to give Tina props for taking such a simple non-complex song structure and turn it into something extraordinary. If that’s not enough, there’s One more radio friendly track. One comes as another uplifting pop tune, from amidst the melancholic vibe of the whole CD, with evident high production value and rich multi-layered background music and vocals. I really prefer the acoustic version of this song as opposed to the CD version – but that’s me.

The album caps it off with a Long Goodbye. It all comes in full-circle as the record ends with another somber track. It’s not particularly a bad song but it sometimes feel as the title says, a long goodbye.

In The Red is a personal journal in the form of a record. It carries a lot of emotions and experiences during Tina’s move to London - all of which are apparent in the record. It is in their loneliness that some artists crafted what they are or will be known for. In The Red pretty much established Tina in the genre she is in, quite the definitive Tina Dico album all fans will remember her by. If you’re looking for rock or anything close to it, look somewhere else. This CD successfully accomplishes what it is set out to be, a very intimate record.

In The Red CD - Buy It Now (Click Here)!

Tracklist:

Losing
Warm Sand
Nobody's Man
The City
Give In
In The Red
Head Shop
Use Me
Room With A View
My Mirror
One
Long Goodbye

Count To Ten is Tina’s fourth full-length effort. While the album won’t be out in US shores until early next year, we were given the privilege to review the CD for this feature. I’m pretty sure that one of the burning questions in everyone’s mind right now is "Is the CD as good as In The Red?" Let’s find out.

The album begins with a deep breath and an exhale… then Count To Ten starts. And what a start it is! The first track sends us straight to musical nirvana. From the acoustic guitar intro to the final "countdown to ten" along with the end static noises, the title track is simply amazing. It is brilliant how there is a countdown, which ends the song exactly as she says "ten." Needless to say, this track is sure to be an instant classic to all Tina fans. Once again, allow us to point you into our video exclusives to see how cool Tina performs this particular song complete with the final countdown to ten.

On The Run comes in next and fulfills the promise of edgier tracks on the new record. The song starts oddly, in almost a country-ish vibe but almost instantly takes it away to become something of a retro-rock. While not really something of a rock-out-loud type, this song delivers the "edge" in its arrangement and musical accompaniment – very lively and energetic. The song talks about Tina’s restlessness and how she feels like running around to be able to experience everything to help sort her identity – "It looks like freedom and it smells like fun, but it feels like being on the run."

Open Wide is a classy ballad heavily accented with simple yet elegantly played piano accompaniment and underlying acoustic guitar rhythm. Night Cab follows as a bit of a country pop sounding track. This is perhaps one of the weak tracks in the CD. It might take a couple of re-listens to fully appreciate the song. Lyrically, it keeps in line with on-the-run theme intent on self-exploration – "And there’s a great big world out there… of good and bad and everything in between. I’ve got my own small world in here… of happy and sad and the little I have seen." / "Keep driving… Don’t stop, keep driving!"

The wonderfully slow-paced and melodic acoustic guitar-driven track -You Know Better - talks about someone wanting to get in a far away place to think things over, when the source of the problem is really within oneself. Quickly following it, or interconnected rather, is another slow-burner track called Sacre Coeur. The track was entitled after a basilica located in the highest point of Paris. It’s got wit and stylish use of imagination for lyrics writing, using such a vantage point to effectively present a confusion – "I could go home to my love and live the life I’ve always wanted… or I could go on running off into the night lonely and haunted. And the strange thing is, I don’t know which I prefer - as I sit here and watch the sunset in Sacre Coeur."

Tick tock goes the metronome as the next track, Craftsmanship And Poetry, plays. Appearing initially as a live track in the special edition of In The Red, the studio version reincarnation shines anew with a more palpable chorus – thanks to the additional instruments. This truly is a standout track, even after listening much to the live version. The infectiously catchy My Business comes in next, which is another of the personal favorites. This one makes great use of a full band sound. I’m pretty sure this will make a great live track when played with the band.

The slow and very emotional ballad Cruel To The Sensitive Kind is surely another standout. Tina’s voice shines the most in this track. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see this track amongst everyone’s favorites list. After everything that happens within the lyrics, one will agree – love truly is cruel to the sensitive kind.

Everybody Knows concludes the album proper with a few words of wisdom contained within a pop-rock song construct. Not everyone has to be perfect and that "underneath the cover, we’re all as frail as each other." The final piece of the album comes in the form of an epilogue. Night Cab (Epilogue) is just what it is, an epilogue – not something you’ll find yourself listening as often as the proper album tracks.

In our interview with Tina, she mentioned that the new record is edgier - in a non-rock manner - and packs a punch. Indeed it packs a lot more livelier tracks than In The Red. Is it at least as good as In The Red? Yes, absolutely! Is it better? It would really depend on your taste. The great thing is that Count To Ten is far from being a rehash of In The Red. Tina did a terrific job on bringing in a few new influences in this album. It is quite clear that Tina still writes songs based on her life experiences. Although this time, it escaped the melancholic vibe In The Red was noted for. The lyrical work in this record is a lot more coherent and flows much smoother than In The Red - and maybe that's because she wrote the lyrics first in this one.

Count To Ten is such a fantastic CD sans a couple or so weak tracks. I’d be hard pressed to choose which is better between the third and the fourth, but that does not really matter. What is important is that the new offering is quite as enjoyable as the other.

Count To Ten CD - Buy It Now (Click Here)!

Tracklist:

Count To Ten
On The Run
Open Wide
Night Cab
You Know Better
Sacre Coeur
Craftsmanship And Poetry
My Business
Cruel To The Sensitive Kind
Everybody Knows
Night Cab (Epilogue)

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KGRL proudly presents the Tina Dico Largo Performance - 06.20.07. The streams can be viewed using our embedded flash player. We hope you enjoy these videos.

Sorry for the first video (Break Of Day) being too dark, blame the venue!
Also, see if you can spot the waiter in the videos...

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