Even Flow
Pearl Jam, 1991, from Ten. Solo by Mike McCready.
McCready's wah-soaked break tumbles over the groove with loose, Stevie Ray Vaughan-style phrasing that sounds half improvised.
Even Flow is one of the big songs from Ten, and Mike McCready's solo is famous for how loose and alive it feels. Using a wah, he tumbles over the groove with bluesy, Stevie Ray Vaughan-style phrasing, bending and flicking notes as if he were improvising on the spot. The break sounds half improvised, and that looseness is its charm: it never settles into a neat pattern, instead riding the song's restless energy. It helped define the more classic-rock-rooted side of grunge guitar, closer to Hendrix and blues than to punk. Listen for how the wah sweeps shape each phrase, adding a vocal, crying quality to the rapid runs.
Even Flow by Pearl Jam is featured in our Grunge (#2) list. The solo is played by Mike McCready and the song was released in 1991.
In our lists
- Beyond the Canon — #11
- The 25 Greatest Grunge Guitar Solos — #2
- Wah & Talk Box Solos — #21
- The Best Pearl Jam Guitar Solos — #3
Sources
Who played the guitar solo on Even Flow?
Mike McCready played the solo on Pearl Jam's Even Flow (1991).