American singer-songwriter Turner Cody and Belgian producer Nicolas Michaux with The Soldiers of Love release “Recognize A Friend”, out 28th January 2026 via Capitane Records.
The third single from their highly anticipated album ‘Out For Blood’ (6th February 2026) finds Cody and The Soldiers of Love in their most laid-back, rock and roll mode—a catchy departure from his often more opaque lyrical style.
Originally intended for an all-acoustic record, “Recognize A Friend” caught the ear of producer Nicolas Michaux. As often happens, this small accident resulted in one of Cody’s catchiest songs to date.
The song is simple, its meaning straightforward and sincere. It tells the story of Billy, an urban hipster everyman, and his descent from hip scenes to the grind of everyday working life—an experience all too common. In the process, Cody memorialises what feels like a lost era, a simpler time when “everyone was sporting like a dandy” and all the ladies wore costumes.
What gives the song its singular momentum, however, is Michaux’s keen ear for production and the effortless chemistry of The Soldiers of Love. Morgan Vigilante’s stripped-down drum pattern and Ted Clark’s funky bass lines lay the foundation for Clément Nourry’s elegant, articulate lead guitar. On his own, Turner Cody is a gifted songwriter. With The Soldiers of Love, he is pure rock and roll.
Following their 2021 collaboration Friends in High Places, ‘Out For Blood’ takes their trans-Atlantic partnership to bold new territory—blowing the country music door off its hinges with poetic lyricism that evokes American mythologies whilst feeling eerily current.
Rooted in themes of freedom, individualism, fate, sin, and redemption, the album represents a profound shift in Cody’s artistic and personal life. After two decades as a fixture of New York’s Anti-Folk scene—where influences traced more from The Velvet Underground than Hank Williams—Cody relocated with his family to St Louis on the Mississippi River. The move to America’s heartland fundamentally transformed his songwriting.
Previously released singles “We Need Each Other” (23rd September) and “Cigarettes Inside” (8th December) offered glimpses into this new chapter. “We Need Each Other” explored interdependence and what makes us better people, whilst “Cigarettes Inside”—a mournful ballad about the worst-attended show of Cody’s 20-year career—showcased his ability to find beauty in shared disappointment and camaraderie.
Writing in the mode of classic country songwriting, Cody channels forebears like Kris Kristofferson, Townes Van Zandt, and John Prine, yet his poetic lyricism speaks in coded language about something more. The songs feel like parables, casting imaginary protagonists against the highest stakes of good versus evil—storytelling that is almost biblical in scope yet deeply personal.
The Soldiers of Love bring backgrounds spanning jazz, fusion, pop, and even Congolese rhythms—playing at a level above and beyond the traditional three-chord, verse-chorus-verse mode. Their sound is precise, understated, and moody. The combination of their distinct musical voice with Cody’s “three chords and the truth” approach to songwriting is at the heart of the magic of this collaboration.
‘Out For Blood’ is a genuine contribution to the canon of American songwriting—a collection that honours tradition whilst feeling bracingly contemporary, balancing literary sophistication with an enduring gift for popular song craft.
Cody and The Soldiers of Love embark on an extensive Europe and UK tour throughout February and March 2026, bringing the songs from ‘Out For Blood’ to stages across Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, and the UK.
Single: “Recognize A Friend”
Release Date: 28th January 2026
Album: ‘Out For Blood’
Release Date: 6th February 2026
Label: Capitane Records
EUROPE & UK TOUR DATES 2026
3rd February – Sala Upload, Barcelona 🇪🇸
4th February – El Sol, Madrid 🇪🇸
5th February – Loco Club, Valencia 🇪🇸
7th February – Rockschool Barbey, Bordeaux 🇫🇷
8th February – Metronum, Toulouse 🇫🇷
10th February – Paloma, Nîmes 🇫🇷
11th February – Marché Gare, Lyon 🇫🇷
12th February – Mühle Hunziken, Rubigen 🇨🇭
14th February – Papersiaal, Zurich 🇨🇭
15th February – Strom, Munich 🇩🇪
16th February – Zoom, Frankfurt 🇩🇪
17th February – Gebäude 9, Cologne 🇩🇪
20th February – Botanique, Brussels 🇧🇪
21st February – Reflektor, Liège 🇧🇪
22nd February – Antigel Festival, Geneva 🇨🇭
23rd February – Klub, Paris 🇫🇷
25th February – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds 🇬🇧
26th February – The Cluny 2, Newcastle 🇬🇧
27th February – Stereo, Glasgow 🇬🇧
28th February – The Old Cold Store, Nottingham 🇬🇧
1st March – Jericho Tavern, Oxford 🇬🇧
3rd March – Strange Brew, Bristol 🇬🇧
4th March – Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff 🇬🇧
5th March – YES, Manchester 🇬🇧
6th March – The Hope And Ruin, Brighton 🇬🇧
Instagram: @mister_turner_cody