John Lewis Christmas advert review: Bastille’s Dan Smith adds a little festive schmaltz to REO Speedwagon’s ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling’

A festive tradition, these songs are unobtrusive by necessity: they can’t overshadow the adverts themselves, which go for the pursestrings via the heartstrings

This review could have been mostly pre-written. “X has recorded a very pleasant, if a little insipid, cover of the ballad X for this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert,” it would have read, “led by a gentle piano and with a tasteful smattering of festive bells.”

Judging by the murmurs and headlines, it seemed that Lewis Capaldi would be neatly slotting into that sentence. But no, it’s Bastille’s Dan Smith.

Six years ago, almost to the day, Smith’s band lost out on a No 1 single to – you guessed it – the John Lewis Christmas advert song; “Of the Night” sold 660 copies fewer than Lily Allen’s docile cover of “Somewhere Only We Know”.

They got over it. In the years since, they’ve released two more albums – one of which reached No 1 – and a multi-platinum single (Marshmello collaboration “Happier”). But that’s not enough for Smith. He’s decided it’s his turn to add a little festive schmaltz to a beloved ditty.

The frontman has recorded a very pleasant, if a little insipid, cover of the 1985 REO Speedwagon ballad “Can’t Fight This Feeling”, led by a gentle piano and with a tasteful smattering of festive bells. (Kevin Cronin’s going to be giving out some pricey gifts this Christmas – his song’s also been used in Stranger Things and American Horror Story.)

Smith has stayed true to his usual vocal style – clear-cut and emotive with a mildly exaggerated English accent (“wot started out as friendship...”) – but he’s adiosed that big stadium-pop sound in favour of the obligatory twinkling and jingling and soporific strings. It’s all very nice.

These John Lewis songs are unobtrusive by necessity: they can’t overshadow the adverts themselves, which go for the pursestrings via the heartstrings. This year’s, a collaboration with Waitrose, stars a dinky little dragon called Edgar, who can’t control the fire he emits from his body, causing isolation and humiliation. It’s quite lovely, but I hope the team behind Frozen aren’t in a litigious mood.

And Smith’s contribution to the John Lewis canon is perfectly lovely, too. That 2013 injustice has been avenged.