The song in question is called “How You Like Me Now?” and it’s been building up a tidal wave of buzz since the band dropped by “Late Show with David Letterman” in mid-January (with the horn section from The Dap Kings in tow).

As a matter of fact, Letterman was so impressed by the band he did something I’d never seen him do before – he asked the band to do the song again! CBS called the encore request “unprecedented” and said it was indeed the first time it happened in the show’s long history. Check it out for yourself here.

“How You Like Me Now?” is from The Heavy’s latest release The House That Dirt Built. The album marks the U.K. quartet’s full-blown arrival on the scene after flirting with North American audiences for the past couple of years with a live appearance here and there.

The momentum generated by the single has scored the band a much sought after support slot on a spring tour with Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, which kicks off May 17 at Southgate House in Newport, Ky.

The band will fill in the gaps in its trek with Jones by playing a number of headlining shows, as well as a few festival appearances including May 31 at the Sasquatch! Music Festival at The Gorge in George, Wash., and Jazz Fests in Victoria and Vancouver, B.C.

With all the attention this funky, soulful group of Brits is getting – deservedly so, IMO – it’s a safe bet we’ll be seeing a lot more of them on this side of the pond in 2010.

Here’s the Kia commercial featuring “How You Like Me Now?” just in case you’re one of the five people in the U.S. who hasn’t seen it.

And here’s The Heavy’s official video for the song – which features some way cool animation in addition to killer grooves – just so you can drive the image of giant toys roaming the highways out of your nightmares. (You’re welcome.)