Flicker cover

Released 9 years ago this October

Flicker

Niall Horan · 2017

54 min · 15 tracks · pop music

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

50 /100
Foothills
Higher than 23% of albums we've rated

Flicker showcases solid songwriting and production but lacks strong cohesion in its pacing and flow.

What we noticed

  • The first half of the album features a consistent mid-tempo pace, while the second half introduces slower ballads that create a reflective atmosphere.
  • Several tracks utilize layered vocal harmonies, particularly in the choruses, enhancing the emotional weight of the lyrics.
  • The lyrics often employ personal storytelling, with recurring themes of introspection and relationships across multiple tracks.
Composition 25% of the score
6/10

the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics

Craft 20% of the score
7/10

production, performance, arrangement

Durability 25% of the score
6/10

whether it rewards returning to it

Distinctiveness 18% of the score
6/10

whether it sounds like itself

Sequencing 12% of the score
5/10

running order, pacing, length

Influence 4/10

Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

  • 1 On the Loose 3:43
  • 2 This Town 3:52
  • 3 Seeing Blind 3:05
  • 4 Slow Hands 3:08
  • 5 Too Much to Ask 3:43
  • 6 Paper Houses 3:34
  • 7 Since We're Alone 4:02
  • 8 Flicker 4:18
  • 9 Fire Away 3:26
  • 10 You and Me 3:04
  • 11 On My Own 4:00
  • 12 Mirrors 3:38
  • 13 The Tide 3:20
  • 14 Flicker (Acoustic) 4:12
  • 15 On The Loose (Acoustic) 3:14

Reference: MusicBrainz