it starts at 1:58 and it's like a really high pitched whistle... if you've seen the elliott smith documentary "strange parallel" then there's this guy using it at like 19:05 or something, but i don't know what it's called. and he just like.. moves his hand back and forth to create higher and lower pitches. ???
I do believe that it's a "Theramin"
I saw the dude from Fishbone absolutly go off on one of those. Then he smoked a joint on stage and dove off into the crowd (all 20 of us) Those guys were FUCKING nuts.
Then again it could just be Andrew Bird whisteling again. :D
it's actually Carl using an eBow on a pedal steel guitar. at least that's how they got the sound live. because of the eBow, there's no attack noise. I think he also uses a volume pedal, too.
it could be theremin on the album, which would also make sense, but the pedal steel sounded ridiculous close to the album, so i would think it could be that, too.
Is an eBow one of those things that has a blue laser? Also, part two, is an eBow related to an iBeam?
Has anybody used an iBeam for their acoustic guitar?
But back on topic, I think Tom's right. I don't think there's theramin on the record, even though a lot of it sounds like it. I watched a documentary on theramins a while ago - their use in horror movies and how they began, and there's different kinds. There are really really involved ones that are beautiful, and then there are simpler ones (like the one I saw Devotchka use), but they all make that beeeeeeeautiful creeeeeeepy noise. But yeah. Carl and Andrew Bird whistling - there's an interview somewhere that talks about that, I think.
Jon Spencer makes good use of the theremin, too. There's one on the cover of 'Orange.' And it's awesome to see someone play it live!
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000036T3.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
cooolll thanks a lot