Extreme - II: Pornograffitti
Having a smash single hit can be a bit of a double edged sword for a rock band. Especially if said song is a ballad. Extreme’s “More Than Words” off their sophomore album “Extreme II: Pornograffitti” was one of those inescapable songs when it came out. It was so ubiquitous that some people didn’t even realize that Extreme is an amazing funk rock band. Every member is an absolute master at their instrument, but as a guitar guy I can’t help but think of Nuno Bettencourt as the star of the show. The guy can play absolutely everything and on this album he spits out one ultra-funky riff after the other. They never fall in the trap of just showing off though. Everything is done in the service of the songs. And yes, that ballad is absolutely wonderful, too - even though we heard it a million times.
