First let me say that I do not have an SACD player but the remastering is still an improvement over the original disks. The sound is not nearly as muddy. The Rolling Stones Aftermath album ushered in the halcyon days of the band. Gone were the blues and soul covers replaced by all Jagger/Richards originals. The US version of the album contained "Paint It Black" replaced on the UK issue by another hit "Mother's Little Helper" but it omitted three other tracks "Out Of Time", "Take It Or Leave It" and "What To Do" which appeared on the UK version. It is interesting to hear the song selections as they were originally intended. The set contained "Stupid Girl" (one of my favorite underrated Stones songs) and "Under My Thumb" which led to Stones being attacked in the press for taking an anti-women stance. The set also contains the rocking "Flight 505" and "It's Not Easy". These are balanced by the haunting "I Am Waiting". The set is also known for containing the longish "Going Home" (perhaps too long). In addition it contains another hit "Lady Jane" although not one of my favorites. The three added songs are all good especially "Out Of Time" with its sing along hook. This is the album that gave the Stones their reputatations as rock and roll's bad boys and began their reign as the "greatest rock and roll band in the world".

I have few quibbles first the remasters conatain no bonus tracks and no expanded pictures or liner notes. They could have at least added "Paint It Black" as a bonus track to the UK edition.

However, having the album in remastered in its original UK format more than makes up for these drawbacks. The improved sound alone is worth the investment.

This album runs quite long for it's time (approx. 53 minutes), and that's part of the problem. "Going Home" clocks in at a very indulgent 11 minutes. I don't even think it's a good enough track to merit 3 or 4 minutes, honestly. Yet it rambles on and on.

But there are several classics on this album, the best known being "Mother's Little Helper" and "Under My Thumb". "Stupid Girl", "Lady Jane", "Out of Time", and "I am Waiting" are also great tracks.

A number of the tracks sound fairly undistiguished to me (Flight 505, What to Do, the above-mentioned Going Home). This album is still a way's away from the peak Stones of '68-72.

"I am Waiting" was used effectively in the motion picture "Rushmore".