Here is one of the very few SACD-singles ever released. The Rolling Stones song "Sympathy For The Devil" is included not only in its original form, but also as a few brand new, alternate remixes (from the likes of The Neptunes, Fatboy Slim, and Full Phatt). It's a hybrid disc, so you'll find stereo CD versions in addition to the SACD stuff. Interestingly, the "Sympathy For The Devil" single includes a surround mix whereas all the other Stones' SACDs are merely stereo. I find that the alternate remixes work better in surround than does the original version of the song. This is possibly due to their free-spirited and more experimental nature, I suppose. It was probably a more difficult task to take the original 1960s recording and expand it to fill a full 6 speakers while staying somewhat true to the classic song we all know and love. The mix seems to rely on placing much of the percussion into the rear channels, which I imagine might have been done because there wasn't much to work with on those tapes. That said, it isn't horrible and I think it does show potential. I wish we would've been given the opportunity to hear the entire Stones' ABKCO catalog in surround. Surely, there would've been some gems in there despite this particular single's pleasing, yet average sound.
