Described by AllMusic as a "slick-sounding pop record replete with big drums and electronic keyboards", One Clear Moment marks a departure from the folk-rock stylings of much of Thompson's work both before and after.

Also included is a rendition of Maurice Ravel's "Les Trois Beaux Oiseaux De Paradis" and a cover of "Just Enough to Keep Me Hanging On", which had previously been a UK top 20 hit for Cliff Richard.

[4] Kurt Loder, writing for Rolling Stone, wrote that Thompson took "the aching sense of betrayal attendant upon a marital breakup – and fashioned it into a series of sometimes shimmeringly beautiful pop songs.

He went on to list "Only a Boy" as a highlight of the album and praised Cook's arrangements on the tracks "Can't Stop the Girl" and "Les Trois Beaux Oiseaux De Paradis".

[1] Robert Christgau gave the album a "B" rating, praising the lyrics of "Hell, High Water and Heartache" while criticizing Hugh Murphy's production.