Paul Oakenfold - ‘A Lively Mind’ (Maverick)Released 05/06/06

 

But even amongst the glories and conquests, the CVs of millionaires can uncover less illustrious achievements. For the inauspicious beginnings of Virgin Trains, see Oakenfold’s ‘Bunkka’ – a debut album that, considering Oakie’s track record as a producer and remixer, thoroughly underwhelmed (remember the weedy hip-hop of ‘Starry Eyed Surprise’?). ‘A Lively Mind’ (horribly self-congratulatory title, that) is Oakenfold’s attempt to get the Midas’ touch back before the whole solo recording career fizzles embarrassingly out.

 

Of course, as dance music evolves and branches away from its sources on an almost weekly basis, many of the old guard (see Chemical Brothers, Basement Jaxx and Daft Punk’s last albums for evidence) struggle to keep pace. This isn’t often the case with ‘A Lively Mind’, although single ‘Faster Kill Pussycat’ (featuring Britanny Murphy - you can tell Paul’s living in America these days) is a shameless attempt to cash in on the success of Deep Dish’s ‘Flashdance’, and getting Pharell Williams in on ‘Sex N’ Money’ must surely be a move motivated by the need to up the ‘name’ guota on the album, so minimal is the N.E.R.D. man’s contribution. 

 

Rather, it’s that dated rock-dance crossover sound, grinding along over the same old beats and the same old synths, that undoes this album. Tracks like ‘Switch On’, ‘Praise The Lord’ and the corny Grandmaster Flash collaboration ‘Set It Off’ are quite obviously the work of a man working in Hollywood soundtracks – wanting to sound like The Prodigy but ending up sounding like Apollo 440. Not all the guitar stuff falls flat on its face – ‘No Compromise’ and the Jane’s Addiction-lite of ‘Feed Ya Mind’ could well trouble the charts – but it’s left to perhaps the most dated and most typically ‘Oakenfold’ of musical genres to save this record from complete disaster – trance.

 

In a way, the fact the steely ‘What Time Is Love?’ stabs of ‘Amsterdam’ and the Underworld-esque synth-rushes of ‘Save The Last Trance For Me’ (yes, very good Paul… ) are what turn out to be the album’s highlights shouldn’t be that much of a surprise. After all, it’s the sort of aircraft hangar-filling four-to-the-floor silliness that has made him a very rich man. But, what that other rich man did with his brand, Oakenfold should really have done with his music – it’s one thing trying different styles, it’s another thing to do them well. ‘A Lively Mind’ may be Oakenfold’s second time, but it’s every bit as painful as the first.