One story has it that the band was conceived when Merritt, observing that there was no tribute album dedicated to him, decided to make one himself. The concept is that Merritt writes and plays songs which are then sung by other artists, different ones on each track. It has so far produced two well-received albums and many different collaborations.
The list of singers on Wasps' Nests includes many notable mid-90s indie-rockers, including Barbara Manning, Mary Timony, Dean Wareham (Galaxie 500, Luna), Lou Barlow, Chris Knox (Tall Dwarfs), Robert Scott (The Bats, The Clean), and Mark Robinson.
Some of the more notable artists appearing on Hyacinths and Thistles are Bob Mould, Sally Timms (The Mekons), Sarah Cracknell (Saint Etienne), Neil Hannon (The Divine Comedy), Gary Numan, Marc Almond, Momus, Clare Grogan (Altered Images), Melanie, Miss Lily Banquette (Combustible Edison) and the accomplished toy piano player Margaret Leng Tan. The album also features an improbable duet of singer Odetta accompanied by Lemony Snicket author Daniel Handler on accordion.
The two albums released to date are Wasps' Nests (1995) and Hyacinths and Thistles (1999/2000). as well as a 7" vinyl single for Heaven in a Black Leather Jacket (1993) (from the Wasps' Nests' LP) that contains a B-Side, Rot in the Sun, a humorous take on Los Angeles, sung by Merritt himself.
The names of both albums, and the name of the band, are deliberate tongue-twisters. The words are chosen for their abundance of s and th sounds. Sixths packs one th and three s sounds into one syllable.
From Wikipedia
