As the book's introduction states, there has been relatively little academic work on stereophonic or multichannel sound in the fields of popular music, sound or media studies. There is a body of writing on the development of stereo, but this material is mainly aimed at hi-fi enthusiasts, hobbyists and electrical engineers, and therefore does not approach the topic from the historical, cultural and musical perspective of this volume. Consequently, Living Stereo covers some ground that has been largely neglected in academia. As an edited book it includes a range of material from a number of contributors. One of the aims of the book is to ‘make stereo strange’, as stereophonic sound is generally taken for granted nowadays. The contributors explore the historical roots of stereophonic listening practices, and analyse the conventions and particularities of stereophony as an aesthetic phenomenon. The book also offers insight into the impact of stereo sound on musicians, sound engineers, audio enthusiasts, everyday listeners and the media industries, where stereo and multichannel sound has become a key feature. ‘Our aim is to understand stereophonic sound as part of a broad multicultural matrix – a matrix that in significant ways has defined aural and musical culture since at least the mid-1900s’ (p. 2). Effectively, the book's chapters explore the history of music and sound through the prism of stereo and multichannel reproduction. The authors' conception of stereo goes beyond reproduction equipment and theorises stereophony as ‘a set of relations between audio technologies, acoustic spaces (physical and virtual), listening techniques, scientific and commercial discourses, economic conditions and reception contexts’ (p. 3).

Rather than attempting to present a linear history of stereophony the book's introduction includes three rubrics that are intended to introduce new ways of thinking about stereo; these are Staging Stereo, Auditory Perspective and Listening Practices. In the Staging Stereo section, the concept of staging is explored used to highlight the constructed nature of stereophonic representation, ‘the emphasis here is on the technical practices that led to our conception of the stereophonic image or sound stage’ (p. 4, emphasis Théberge et al.). The Auditory Perception section examines the development of a cultural–perceptual awareness that predates stereo as a technology. As early as the eighteenth century scientific enquiry started to consider listening as essentially binaural in character. This leads to the consideration that hearing is perspectival and that sounds are received from a specific subject position (there are parallels here with perspective in visual art). This conception shaped research and technological development from the 1930s onwards. Finally, in Listening Practices the commercial constraints of technological innovation and the contingencies and practices of reception are considered. Within these contexts the idealised aesthetic and scientific notions that underwrite stereo are confronted by the realities of commerce and everyday life. Stereo, in both its technical execution and its relationship to the demands of communities and the context of its use, is shaped by the needs of industry and pleasure. These three conceptual frameworks underscore an approach that sees stereo as more than a technology. ‘It is a constantly changing historical and cultural phenomenon. It is living stereoí’ (p. 4, emphasis Théberge et al.). These three rubrics do not map precisely onto the three main sections of the book, but outline a conceptual framework and offer an introduction to some of the concepts that are also explored by the book's contributors.

The main body of the book is divided into three sections, (Audio) Positions, Listening Cultures, and Multichannel Sound and Screen Media. Part 1, ‘(Audio) Positions’, explores the conceptual landscape of stereo and explores issues of gender and class. The notion of a supposedly ‘natural’ subject position within a soundscape is problematised; the chapter also includes discussion of the military uses of multichannel sound technology in anti-submarine warfare. Part 2, ‘Listening Cultures’, explores the meanings and aesthetics of stereo in a range of genres, notably British folk song, and the classical avant-garde. The role and impact of stereo demonstration records in training the listener/consumer is also explored in some detail. The chapter also covers ‘mono in the stereo’ age and raises some interesting points in terms of nostalgia and authenticity. Part 3, ‘Multichannel Sound and Screen Media’, situates stereo (and more complex multichannel sound formats) within a diverse multimedia matrix, and expands on the largely historical focus of the earlier chapters by addressing issues in contemporary cinema, broadcasting and gaming. The chapters in this section go beyond the mid-twentieth-century audiophile moment and explore the ways that different media systems can place unique demands on multichannel aesthetics and listening practices. They also consider how engineers and users have negotiated the imprecise boundaries of realism and illusion, idealism and practice. Even though stereo and multichannel sound continues to evolve as a technological and cultural phenomenon, this section clarifies (as does the entire volume) that ‘they share of a deeper history’ (p. 29). Finally, in contrast to the book's overall non-linear approach, there is a stereo timeline included that itemizes the key developments in stereo and multichannel sound from the late eighteenth century to the present day. There are some surprises in this timeline in terms of technological innovation; for example, the first stereo radio broadcast was in 1925.

The book is a valuable addition to the field of sound studies, and includes some fascinating critical material. The conceptual frameworks in the introduction are informative and prepare the reader for the material explored in the later chapters. My only criticism of this groundbreaking book would be that it could have included some further material on the impact of stereo on the recording and mixing of popular music. Stereo mixing in popular music has evolved considerably since the somewhat eccentric approach adopted by engineers and producers in the early 1960s. Also, there has been some experimentation with multichannel sound in a live context in the field of popular music, although this was much later than the initial experiments of composers such as Stockhausen. The practices of stereo recording in orchestral recording are mentioned in passing, and again this is an area that could have been explored in more detail, certainly in terms of staging. There is certainly scope for another volume of material that builds on the excellent work found in this anthology.