Metascore
40

Mixed or average reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 9
  2. Negative: 3 out of 9
  1. Too many tracks meander aimlessly without finding the perfect beat.
  2. A Lively Mind... stutters slip-shod through its unoriginal sounds, even more disappointing as these are unoriginal even by Paul Oakenfold’s standards.
  3. Uncut
    20
    It'll work neither in the club or in the home. [Jun 2006, p.108]
User Score
2.5

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 26 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 26
  3. Negative: 20 out of 26
  1. SimonB
    May 13, 2008
    2
    Too lively for me, apparently. I don't know if Oakenfold developed an immunity to sharp treble. I don't know if he's got an Too lively for me, apparently. I don't know if Oakenfold developed an immunity to sharp treble. I don't know if he's got an immunity to taste in music. If he's got an immunity to making LYRICS in songs sound good... But he lacks so much stuff that making an album called "A Lively Mind" just makes it sound like a selling catchline. The album's real name being hidden somewhere within there. Possibly Oak, as to image the single-minded roads the songs take, save for Save the last Trance, which is half-decent. That doesn't solve anything, however. The opening track featuring the girl who Eminem screwed, then Ashton Kutcher, then whoever else... Was good on the first listen, then when I listened to it again, I found it stale and repetitive. Following songs just got irritating to the ear. Imagine being subjected to the droplet torture: Sitting down, unable to move, and there's a droplet of water falling down on your forehead constantly, without halt. Within the hour, you go MAD as every single droplet seems to hurt more than the other. This is what happens with this album, as each track sounds more painful than the other. And then Paul adds to the mayhem by saying something in one of his tracks. Well, saying something... He's looping saying something, which doesn't mean anything, because it's kind of like two robots unable to make a connection, constantly asking "What's up?": "Whassup Paul?" - "Hey Flash, Whassup?" I don't know if that's meant to show how LIVELY MINDED Paul is, but if that's the case, he fails pretty fucking hard. That, or the song was supposed to have full-time singing and ended up having none. I could go on but frankly, in a few words: Bad album, bad artist, bad mind. Full Review »
  2. BobJoe
    Sep 2, 2006
    0
    crap
  3. IvanM
    Aug 30, 2006
    0
    Horrible tracks, I am very dissapointed at Oakenfold. He is a god at the turntables but mediocre as a producer and he has proved that with this disc.