Released in 1968, The Circle Game is a perfect song cycle, telling the story of a relationship from start to end. It established Tom Rush as a mature folk singer who'd moved away from the rustic blues of his early Cambridge days, and it introduced three then-unknown songwriters to the public arena. Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, and Jackson Browne all contribute songs, and Rush caps things off with his masterful original "No Regrets" (which later became a hit for The Walker Brothers). The performances are tasteful and highlight Rush's warm approach. Mitchell, in particular, receives important exposure for no less than three tracks: "Tin Angel," "Urge For Going," and the title track. This album is often cited as the catalyst for folk singers becoming singer/songwriters and as a key influence on the music that would dominate the early '70s. This 40th-anniversary edition includes remastered sound, single versions of Taylor's "Something in the Way She Moves," "Urge for Going," and an early take of the title track. Essential.