This week’s releases include a brand-new album from Steve Albini’s Shellac, the belated U.S. release of James’ new studio album, a reissue of MInistry’s ‘Twelve Inch Singles,’ a collection of unreleased Scruffy the Cat material, and the U.S. release of New Model Army’s latest record.

This week’s new releases include an expanded 2CD reissue of Wire’s fourth album, “Document and Eyewitness,” plus a new digital-only compilation of Scruffy the Cat’s Relativity Records output and a slightly belated U.S. CD release of MIdge Ure’s new album “Fragile.”

Scruffy the Cat — part of the late-’80s cowpunk scene that helped spawn the alt-country movement — get their due in the coming months with both the full digital release of the band’s catalog and, on CD, the arrival of a new collection of previously unreleased live and studio material.

Charlie Chesterman, the frontman of Boston college-radio favorites Scruffy the Cat, part of the late-’80s cowpunk scene that helped spawn the alt-country movement, lost his ongoing battle with cancer on Monday, according to posts on Facebook this morning by friends, including former bandmate Stephen Fredette,

This week’s headlines at Slicing Up Eyeballs — you know, in case you missed anything — included a lot of news about the now-defunct R.E.M., plus items on Public Image Ltd., The Jesus and Mary Chain, This Mortal Coil, Scruffy the Cat and Siouxsie and the Banshees.

Boston college-radio favorites Scruffy the Cat — part of the late-’80s cowpunk scene that helped spawn the alt-country movement — have canceled a pair of reunion shows that had been scheduled for Oct. 21 and 22 at the band’s old haunt T.T. the Bear’s Place in Cambridge, Mass.

Members of long-lost Boston college-radio favorites Scruffy the Cat — part of the so-called late-’80s cowpunk scene that helped spawn the alt-country movement — have reunited around cancer-stricken frontman Charlie Chesterman after two decades apart and will play two headlining shows in their hometown this October.