I don't get mainstream, modern country music, to be honest - but maybe something gets lost in translation. However... I couldn't live without the Scud Mountain Boys, Son Volt, Wilco, The Handsome Family, Willard Grant Conspiracy, The Walkabouts, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Smog, Uncle Tupelo, The Jayhawks, South San Gabriel, Vic Chesnutt, Giant Sand, Calexico, Jim White, Califone and a fair few others. Dunno if you'd call 'em country, but they have a bucketful of twang and crap on the big hat stuff from a great height.