TV on the Radio on the TV

Play it: Entourage - Ep 311 (33)

The episode before the season finale always plays setup, and in the case of last night's Entourage, it's no different. The Ramones project (I Wanna Be Sedated) is getting pitched by Ari, Bob and E, so that means more Ramones ("Rockaway Beach") in the soundtrack. Ari ditches Bob (sending him to the wrong studio,) and it comes back to bite him (and thusly Vince and E.)

Meanwhile, Drama's working on his pilot and his anxiety problem. Ed Burns keeps deepening his role in "The Five Cities," and Drama's mantra isn't working ("I'm not a pussy. I'm not a pussy. I'm not a pussy.") Drama decides to take Turtle's advice and 'yank some lil' drama' before the scene... but when Drama forgets to turn his mic off, the whole crew is treated to some party-of-one auditory fireworks. Across town, Vince tries to pep up Turtle by getting him some hard-to-find sneaks. Feeling like he's got a project in his pocket, he throws down some serious clams for a one-of-a-kind Nike Airforce One inspired 'Turtle' sneaks. Turtle's feet now have a rosier financial immediate future then Vince does.

Musically, the episode is a hip-hop sandwich with some indie rock as the bread. Classic tracks from Murs, Cam'Ron and Kanye West (feat. Paul Wall) make for probably the tastiest hip-hop feast that any tv show has ever served up. The hip-hop track that had me rollin', though, was the "At the Helm" from the Oak-town collective Heiroglyphics' which I hadn't heard in years. That voice, of course, is one Del the Funky Homosapien, who's more famous now for his turns in Gorillaz.

You'd think that would be enough for an episode, you'd think, but not only do we have the aforementioned Ramones track, but also the credits run to the great "Staring at the Sun" by the about-to-break TV On The Radio. I'd heard TVOTR was going to have a track on the ep, but was secretly hoping for the latest single ("Wolf Like Me") which just popped into Rhapsody this past week.

They'll much more posting here about TV On the Radio in the near future (that much is for sure.)

More:
Full tracklistings with scene descriptions
TMZ Decoder Ring on sheds light on this episode (Play TMZ's Video Clips highlights)
Entertainment Weekly analzyes this episode

Previously:
Shoot'em in the back now (Episode 32 / 310)
My entourage can beat up your entourage (Episode 31 / 309)
Willy Wonka Queens (Episode 30 / 308)
Suspended in limbo (Episode 29/307)
A bird in the hand... (Episode 28 / 306)
Fair to Medellin (Episodes 25-27/ 303-305)
I am an orange god (Episode 24 / 302)
The top-tall turn-off (Episode 23 / 301)
Let's hug it out again, b*tch (Season 2 soundtrack and dvd)
Heartbreak Vince (Episode 22)
Show me the money (Episode 21)
Sympathy for the Ari (Episode 20)
Headed for a Gigli (Episode 19)
That's Hebrew for 'When do you get off?' (Episode 18)
Comic-consies (Episode 17)
Mandy Moore is Aquaman's kryptonite (Episode 16)
Cross-sword traffic (Episode 15)
Crouching Turtle, hidden Drama (Episode 14)
More Bob Saget on drugs (Episode 13)
Bring out the suit (Episode 11 & 12)
My Maserati Does 185 (Episode 10)
Let's Hug It Out, Bitch (Episode 9 - Season 2 Premiere)

tags: playlist, entourage, television, hbo, soundtrack, tv on the radio, hieroglyphics, murs, rap, hip-hop, the ramones