You have a point there Rick. But you've been at the guitar for quite a number of years now, I would expect, and I think as we get "older" the 'flash' doesn't have the same importance as 'soul'.
'Flash' is fine, I think....if that is what the song calls for, but what is that famous one that Stefan Grossman came out with once? He, the story goes, went up to some budding young guitarist once who was trying to impress the assembled glitterati, and blew him a kiss...several times during his 'performance'
After finishing the young aspirant asked him what the kiss blowing was all about.
"Keep It Simple, Stupid" was the reply.
I think that quite a lot of guitar players forget, or maybe are at a stage in their musical development where they haven't learned yet that the silences in between the notes are just as, if not more, important than the actual notes themselves.

B.