I Would Rather:  Have an intelligent conversation about the merits of Sam Sifton’s L’Entrecote review (solid), and the sliders at Mark (great) vs. the burgers at Bill’s (blegh), than listen all the way through and/or write up a piece on the Wipers-meets-Calvin-Johnson German Measles ep that’s suddenly attracting attention.

I Would Rather: Watch the special features on my Into Great Silence DVD, and maybe catch An Education, A Serious Man, La Danse, and Fantastic Mr. Fox at the theater, than listen all the way through and/or write up a piece on the new Vivian-Girls-lite Girls At Dawn 12″.

I Would Rather: Try brunch at The Redhead, Saltie’s, or The Breslin, or visit the revamped Pies ‘N Thighs or watch David Chang get drunk at Korean fried chicken joints than listen all the way through and/or write up a piece on the Neil-Young-No-Depression-Country Spiral Stairs LP.

I Would Rather:  Check out the Urs Fischer gallery at the New Museum of Contemporary Art than listen all the way through and/or write up a piece on the new masturbatory Atlas Sound LP.

I Would Rather:  Finish reading my Gormenghast novels and get started on The Gulag Archipelago than “anticipate” the passe-summer-jams Real Estate full length due out November 17.

I Would Rather:  Look for Sub Pop’s newly remastered edition of Bleach on soulseek and call it a day.

They probably 86′d the fried chicken at Locanda Verde while I was suffering through the Black Heart Procession for you ungrateful wretches.