EPOCH6

I think the closest example I've come across thus far is The Band.

They're very multi-instrumental, they're reasonably ambitious songwriters (although still quite poppy most of the time), every member of the group is immensely talented, they're not afraid to meander off into occasional jams or extended solos, and they very skillfully transcend genre boundaries while still comfortably wearing their influences on their sleeve.

I'd love to find a similar group that makes use of primarily acoustic instruments.

EDIT: I'm starting to think Americana might be the most useful term to focus on when searching for bands that fit the bill, but I'm also worried that the word Americana has been thrown around so much since the 70's that it'll be impossible to sift through.

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