A Lively Mind#Reception

{{Infobox album

| name = A Lively Mind

| type = studio

| artist = Oakenfold

| cover = A lively mind.jpg

| alt =

| released = 5 June 2006

| recorded = Stamford Bridge Studios, Los Angeles; Thunder World Studios, London

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = {{hlist|Electronica||house|trance|breakbeat|alternative dance}}

| length = 62:13

| label = (US) Maverick
(UK) Perfecto

| producer = Paul Oakenfold; Ian Green

| prev_title = Perfecto Presents: The Club

| prev_year = 2005

| next_title = A Lively Mix

| next_year = 2006

| misc = {{Singles

| name = A Lively Mind

| type = studio

| single1 = Faster Kill Pussycat

| single1date = 21 March 2006

| single2 = Sex 'n' Money

| single2date = 27 November 2006

}}

{{Album ratings

| MC = 40/100

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-lively-mind-mw0000767115|title=A Lively Mind - Paul Oakenfold|website=AllMusic|last=Jeffries|first=David|date=June 6, 2006|access-date=May 27, 2025}}

| rev2 = E!

| rev2score = C{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060704181303/http://www.eonline.com/Reviews/Facts/Music/RevID/0,1107,3727,00.html|title=Paul Oakenfold - A Lively Mind|website=E! Online|date=July 4, 2006|access-date=May 27, 2025}}

| rev3 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev3score = BFurther illustrate[s] Oakenfold's sonic skills and celebrity contacts. [9 Jun 2006, p.139]

| rev4 = The Irish Times

| rev4score = {{rating|1|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/house-1.1021294|title=The latest CDs reviewed.|website=The Irish Times|last=Carroll|first=Jim|date=June 23, 2006|access-date=May 27, 2025}}

| rev5 = Los Angeles Times

| rev5score = {{rating|2|4}}Instead of finding a different voice as a writer and producer of original material, Oakenfold seems trapped by dance-music genre conventions. [28 May 2006]

| rev6 = PopMatters

| rev6score = 2/10{{cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/paul-oakenfold-a-lively-mind-2495682943.html|title=Paul Oakenfold: A Lively Mind|website=PopMatters|last=Raper|first=Dan|date=7 July 2006|access-date=27 May 2025}}

| rev7 = The Skinny

| rev7score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theskinny.co.uk/clubs/reviews/paul-oakenfold-a-lively-mind|title=Paul Oakenfold - A Lively Mind|website=The Skinny|last=Walters|first=Marj|date=16 April 2006|access-date=27 May 2025}}

| rev8 = Spin

| rev8score = {{Rating|2|5}}These thumping, Ibiza-inflected excursions into pop and R&B aren't quite as catchy [as "Starry Eyed Surprise"]. [Jun 2006, p.83]

| rev9 = Uncut

| rev9score = {{rating|1|5}}It'll work neither in the club or in the home. [Jun 2006, p.108]

| rev10 = URB

| rev10score = {{rating|2|5}}Mind plays like a collection of tracks destined for car commercials, Hollywood movies and Superbowl half-time shows. [Apr 2006, p.90]

}}

A Lively Mind is the second studio album from the English electronic music producer Paul Oakenfold, released under the name Oakenfold. The album is the follow-up to Oakenfold's 2002 debut Bunkka. The single "Faster Kill Pussycat" features Brittany Murphy and is one of many collaborations to appear on the album, with other collaborators including Pharrell Williams, Grandmaster Flash and Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic.

Reception

Initial critical response to A Lively Mind ranged from mixed. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 40, based on 9 reviews.{{cite web | url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/a-lively-mind/paul-oakenfold| title=Paul Oakenfold:A Lively Mind (2006): Reviews | work=Metacritic | publisher=CNET Networks, Inc | access-date=19 March 2009 | archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090409081135/http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/oakenfoldpaul/livelymind| archive-date= 9 April 2009 | url-status= live}} The album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronica Album in 2007.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2007/grammys.htm|title = Rock on the Net: 49th Annual Grammy Awards - 2007}}

Track listing

"Faster Kill Pussycat" (featuring Brittany Murphy) – 3:14
"No Compromise" (featuring Spitfire) – 3:45
"Sex 'N' Money" (featuring Pharrell Williams) – 5:58
"Switch On" (featuring Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic) – 4:05
"Amsterdam" – 5:40
"Set It Off" (featuring Grandmaster Flash) – 4:17
"The Way I Feel" (featuring Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic) – 5:25
"Praise The Lord" – 4:13
"Save the Last Trance for Me" – 7:49
"Not Over" (featuring Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic) – 8:50
"Vulnerable" (featuring Bad Apples) – 5:55
"Feed Your Mind" (featuring Spitfire) – 2:56

"Not Over" is a remix/remake of the 1995 song "Not Over Yet" by Grace, Oakenfeld's former band, featuring new vocals and lyrics.

Charts

=Weekly charts=

scope="col"\| Chart (2006) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
{{album chart\|Ireland2\|67\|artist=Paul Oakenfold\|rowheader=true\|access-date=14 October 2021}}
{{album chart\|Scotland\|46\|date=20060612\|rowheader=true\|access-date=14 October 2021}}
{{album chart\|UK2\|57\|date=20060612\|rowheader=true\|access-date=14 October 2021}}
{{album chart\|BillboardDanceElectronic\|7\|artist=Paul Oakenfold\|rowheader=true\|access-date=14 October 2021}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"\| Chart (2006) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2006/dance-electronic-albums\|title=Top Dance/Electronic Albums – Year-End 2006\|magazine=Billboard\|date=2 January 2013\|access-date=14 October 2021}} \| 19

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

scope="col"| Chart (2006)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2006/dance-electronic-albums|title=Top Dance/Electronic Albums – Year-End 2006|magazine=Billboard|date=2 January 2013|access-date=14 October 2021}}

| 19

Certifications and sales

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Russia|artist=Paul Oakenfold|title=A Lively Mind|award=Gold|certyear=2006|relyear=2006|relmonth=6|access-date=5 June 2019}}