Bob Dylan’s ‘Triplicate’: Thirty Standards, Sung With Conviction

Bob Dylan has spent his late career turning the Great American Songbook into a personal project, and Triplicate is the fullest statement of it yet. This is a 30-song, three-disc set of standards recorded with his touring band, arranged in the quiet, late-night style he has favored since Shadows in the Night. It is not a rock record. It is Dylan singing songs written decades before he was born, treating them with the care of a man who believes they still matter.

Opening With Change

The first disc opens with “I Guess I’ll Have to Change My Plans,” a light, swinging tune that sets the tone: unhurried, warm, a little wry. “September of My Years” follows, and it is one of the record’s best moments, Dylan’s weathered voice landing hard on the title line. “I Could Have Told You” and “Once Upon a Time” both work as slow, rueful ballads.

“Stormy Weather” gets a slow, almost exhausted reading, and it earns its place. “This Nearly Was Mine” is another highlight, a South Pacific tune that Dylan turns into a plain statement of regret. The disc closes with “That Old Feeling,” “It Gets Lonely Early,” “My One and Only Love,” and “Trade Winds,” the last a breezy number that feels lighter than most of what surrounds it.

Braggin’ and Time

The second disc opens with “Braggin’,” a rarity, a less famous tune, and Dylan clearly enjoys it. “As Time Goes By” is the centerpiece here, and he does not ruin it. The piano and strings stay out of the way, and Dylan sings the familiar melody with a plainness that makes it feel fresh.

“Imagination” and “How Deep Is the Ocean” are both solid, but they do not stick the way the best tracks do. “P.S. I Love You” sits in the middle of the set, and it drags a little. “The Best Is Yet to Come” is a nice change of pace, brighter than most of the record.

Rainy Day Ballads

“But Beautiful” is a slow, careful ballad that suits him. “Here’s That Rainy Day” is another strong one, the melody carrying the weight of the lyric. “Where Is the One” and “There’s a Flaw in My Flue” are lesser, the latter a comic tune that feels out of place.

Day In, Day Out

The final disc opens with “Day In, Day Out,” which passes by without much incident. “I Couldn’t Sleep a Wink Last Night” follows, and “Sentimental Journey” is a familiar tune that Dylan gives a straightforward reading. “Somewhere Along the Way,” “When the World Was Young,” and “These Foolish Things” all work better, with “These Foolish Things” standing out as a late highlight.

“You Go to My Head” is another strong ballad. The disc ends with “Stardust,” “It’s Funny to Everyone but Me,” and “Why Was I Born,” the last a quiet, fitting close.

Too Long, Still Good

Triplicate is too long. Thirty songs, ninety-six minutes, is a lot of slow ballads, and by the third disc the format starts to wear. But the best tracks here are as good as anything Dylan has recorded this century. His voice is shot, but he has learned to use it, and these songs give him room to phrase and bend and mean it.

That is the record’s real strength: not novelty, but conviction.

8 of 10.

Key Facts

• Artist: Bob Dylan
• Title: Triplicate
• Release type: Album, 3 discs, 30 tracks
• Total running time: 96 minutes
• Metacritic score: 80/100

album review · Bob Dylan · Great American Songbook · jazz standards · Triplicate