Morgan Y. Evans: The in studio style performance video works for personalizing and lending more immediacy to the song. It also is to the band’s credit that Danielle also manages to make the rather straightforward words affecting anyway through the affluence of feeling in her voice. I like the contrast between her and Este’s vocals. I was watching the Jarmusch Iggy documentary recently where Iggy was talking about how in Stooges songs early on he tried to keep it to under 25 words. It makes you think how sometimes, not to knock the lyrics here too hard, how delivery makes all the difference. Compelling artists know the importance of passion whether you are Hey Violet, Globelamp, Björk or friggin Rammstein. Haim’s energy here takes this song to the next level and makes you want more, proving pop is best when it retains some human elements. [7/10]
Steve Horowitz: This song is so freakin’ cool! The music captures the emotional resonance and intellectual detachment when one gets in touch inside with what is going on in one’s life. As the title suggests, Haim is in the moment. The silence between the notes, before instruments join in before the artists harmonize with each other, is breathtaking. Haim compels one’s attention through precision mixed with passion. Anyone involved with a narcissist understands that being needed is just another way for someone to take advantage of you. The lyrics transcend false empathy as the music gives one strength. [9/10]
Evan Sawdey: When HAIM premiered new material at Lollapalooza in 2016, their in-progress songs were missing something: clear melodic intent. For all of the propulsive guitar pop that their debut album delivered, the new material sounded like the efforts of a Christie McVie tribute band, so it’s comforting to hear “Right Now”, with its clear use of empty space and about eight different genre templates, as a step in the right direction — or so we hope. At the end of the day, it’s a workable number, but hardly a calling card. [6/10]
Adriane Pontecorvo: HAIM gets raw on a heartbreak track. The results are mixed; it’s hard to get over the tinny drum loop that kicks off the song, but Alana Haim gets some incredible sound out of her axe early on, and there’s strength in sisterhood once the band gets going on faster drums. The vocals sound good, too, as straightforward as the lyrics are. It isn’t the sharpest song, but the misses here are forgivable, and all in all, it’s a solid, cathartic outing that gives the group a chance to let loose. The video serves as a good reminder of how multi-talented each of the Haim sisters is, and if the rest of HAIM’s upcoming album can take it up a notch, it’s going to be in good shape. [7/10]
Jedd Beaudoin: This is going to sound great on Saturday Night Live. Maybe. It doesn’t go anywhere, does it? It’s a nice stab at understatement and breaking some new ground by not going for the obvious emotions on either the lyrical or musical front but just kind of sits there the rest of the time. Eh, maybe it’ll grow on me. [5/10]
SCORE: 6.80