Song of the day: December 7, 2009

Stylish, sexy, and simple, the nouveau-garage clatter of the Kills has magnificently sat on a line between base and brilliant. They've traded in a bluesy, overdriven sleaze that's served many a duo well in recent years, blurring the edges between their tandem vocals, staccato guitars, and vintage drum machines. On one of the best rock songs I've heard so far this year, "Last Day of Magic" trades the stiff pinball plink of its verses with a tease towards catharsis on a tantalizing two-chord chorus that gets a little longer with each return, until it's finally revealed unmolested as the song's melodic anchor in maybe the last half-minute. Just enjoy!

The Kills - Last Day Of Magic