BY LAURA BASCIOTTA
3 Stars

I Cry When I Laugh is U.K. singer Jess Glynne’s debut album. She released her first collab, “Rather Be,” with Clean Bandit, which later rose to the charts. Glynne has one of those classic, soulful voices that stands out. She focuses her optimistic lyrics on loving herself and mending a broken heart. But most of the record feels overwhelmed by the “background noise.” The bulk of the album’s songs are built around the instruments, and it’s all tambourine-shaking, hand-clapping, and backing choirs “ooh-ing.” “Hold My Hand” is the most popular song off the album for a reason, as it proves to be very catchy and upbeat. “Real Love” and “Not Letting Go” are strong songs off the album as well. Yet despite all the potential this album had, Glynne’s writing is almost cheesy. There’s no question that Glynne is very good singer, but her debut is not as strong as it could have been.