Kevin Bryan delivers his verdict on some of this week's alternative CD releases.

Sting, "57th & 9th" (Polydor Records)- Sting's natural inquisitiveness has enticed the former Police frontman down quite a few unrewarding musical cul de sacs in recent years,but his latest Polydor set is thankfully a much more orthodox rock package. "57th & 9th" takes its title from the Manhattan crossroads near the Hell's Kitchen studios where the album was recorded a few months ago, and the contents represent a welcome throwback to the melodic immediacy of Sting's early output, with "Petrol Head," "50,000" and the current single, "I Can't Stop Thinking About You" emerging as three of the musical highlights.

Kaiser Chiefs, "Let's Stay Together" (Fiction)- Indie rock purists are likely to be more than a little dismayed by the Kaiser Chiefs first foray into the world of dance orientated pop, and "Let's Stay Together" is certainly a far cry from the spiky rebelliousness of "I Predict A Riot" or "Ruby." Ricky Wilson and his cohorts created the album in close collaboration with writer and producer Brian Higgins as they immersed themselves in the delights of synth pop with decidedly mixed results. "We Stay Together," "Sunday Morning" and the lengthy closer, "Still Waiting," are the best of a patchy bunch.

Chad & Jeremy, "Yesterday's Gone" (Cherry Red / RPM)- The English pop duo of Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde found a ready market for their undemanding brand of balladry across the pond in the U.S.of A., where they notched up a string of Top 40 hits during the mid sixties. This all embracing anthology brings together all the recordings that the pair made for the Ember and World Artists labels during this far off era, including complete albums alongside a generous helping of mono singles and assorted outtakes and stereo mixes. "Yesterday's Gone" and "A Summer Song" capture the essence of their effortlessly tuneful sound.

The Pixies, "loudQUIETloud" (MVD Visual)- The Pixies may never have enjoyed too much in the way of commercial success but their dynamic alternative rock stance made a profound impact on outfits such as Nirvana, Radiohead and Blur during their creative heyday in the late eighties. The Bostonians finally gave up the ghost in acrimonious fashion in 1993 but rather surprisingly decided to return to the fray in 2004, and this new DVD documentary chronicles the first year of this unexpected reunion. The quartet are notoriously reticent communicators so very few genuine revelations emerge from the finished product , although Pixies devotees should find it richly rewarding nonetheless.