The Poison I Choose announces the arrival of a songwriter unafraid to let her pain, vulnerability, and defiance spill into song. Rooted in Memphis’ rich musical soil yet carved from Mary Hatley’s singular experiences, this debut record unfolds like a diary of survival and reclamation, equal parts blues, rock, country, and soul.

Produced by Matt Qualls at the legendary Easley McCain studio, the album balances grit with grace, giving Hatley’s resonant vocals space to shine. The opener, “As Long As You’re Mine”, sets the tone with cautious optimism with a lush yet restrained meditation on love after solitude. From there, Hatley leans into risk and desire on “Be My Lover”, her voice edged with bluesy fire that captures both hesitation and surrender.

Her writing is at its most daring in “Cross You Twice” and “Can’t Forget You Now”. The former confronts religious trauma and political disillusionment, pushing the record beyond autobiography into universal resonance. The latter is a fragile portrait of vulnerability and self-preservation, rendered with lyrical precision.

Elsewhere, Hatley proves herself a chronicler of grief and endurance. “Dog Days” and “Miss You Dear” wrestle with fractured family ties and loss, offering catharsis in their resilience. That theme culminates in “Ricochet”, a surging anthem of defiance that refuses to bow to past wounds.

Title track “The Poison I Choose” emerges as the album’s centerpiece, which is devastating and empowering in equal measure, as Hatley acknowledges the pull of toxic love while reclaiming her agency. Closing “Wine, Flowers, & Blood”, is both elegiac and forward-looking, a fitting finale that entwines grief with renewal.

Overall, The Poison I Choose is Mary Hatley’s debut album raw, fearless, and resonant.

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