[4] Patrick Stowe from The Nelson Mail gave the gig a positive review, praising Moa's "brutal honesty on stage".

[4] Russell Baillie of The New Zealand Herald rated In Swings the Tide four stars, commending its "level of songcraft here that wasn't always apparent on her earlier work.

"[5] Nick Bollinger from New Zealand Listener said that "[In Swings the] Tide strikes a balance between the industry-standard pop of Thinking Room...and the introspection of 2005’s Stolen Hill.

"[8] Taranaki Daily News' Felicity Rookes gave the album a positive review, commenting that "The intimate nature of the folksy tunes show how Moa has grown lyrically".

[7] Vicki Anderson of The Press lauded Moa's songwriting skills, noting the "honesty and rawness of expression and emotion" present on the album.