Whenever Sound Opinions’ Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot become the Rock Doctors a different challenge is presented. They’ve had to consult with couples, families and have even staged an intervention. Now they enter the business world. Cassie is a store owner in Chicago who reached out to the Rock Doctors earlier this year. Cassie’s problem? What to play in the shop. She tends to return to the same well of old pop and funk over and over again, and her employees are ready to strike. She wants a dose of new music that will keep customers happy and won’t cause any eyerolls from the staff.  

Jim’s prescription is The Budos Band III. The Budos Band is an instrumental band recording on the Daptone Records label, which is also home to Sharon Jones and Amy Winehouse’s backing band The Dap-Kings. Jim is confident that Cassie will appreciate their sound, which fuses old school soul with afro-beat.

Greg prescribes Jim by British singer Jamie Lidell. Greg praises Lidell’s vocal style and live performances and thinks that this album will give Cassie the retro R&B she loves, while keeping it fresh.

After playing both albums in her store for a couple of weeks Cassie returns to the show for a follow-up appointment. She has nothing but good things to say about Jim by Jamie Lidell. It’s upbeat, feel-good music that impressed her staff and got customers tapping their feet. She also really liked The Budos Band III, and fancied herself in a British spy film. But, Cassie admits it did get repetitive, so she’ll be mixing it in a playlist rather than putting the record on beginning to end. All in all, a healthy, happy patient.

Songs played include:

INXS, “Doctor” INXS, Atco, 1980
Earth, Wind & Fire, “September” The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire Vol. 1, ARC/Columbia, 1978
Deicide, “When Satan Rules His World” Once Upon the Cross, Roadrunner, 1995
The Budos Band, “Rite of the Ancients” The Budos Band III, Daptone, 2010
Jamie Lidell, “Out of My System” Jim, Warp, 2008
Mudhoney “Touch Me I’m Sick” Superfuzz Bigmuff Plus Early Singles, Sub Pop, 1990
The Budos Band, “Unbroken, Unshaven” The Budos Band III, Daptone, 2010
Jamie Lidell, “Green Light” Jim, Warp, 2008
Jamie Lidell, “Another Day” Jim, Warp, 2008
The Budos Band, “Golden Day” The Budos Band III, Daptone, 2010
The Budos Band, “River Serpentine” The Budos Band III, Daptone, 2010