The Slaps is an original indie rock band from Chicago, IL, composed of guitarist/vocalist Rand Kelly, bassist/vocalist Ramsey Bell, and percussionist/vocalist Josh Resing. The trio’s latest album, Tomato Tree, is an exercise in patience that seamlessly showcases the virtues of experimentation. The synth-laden “Hell No” and the instrumental “Autotelic” tracks showcase the band’s ability to creatively bring programmed sounds into the fold, blending Bell and Resing’s interest in electronic music with The Slaps’ typical organic soundscapes. The Slaps emphasize the unmediated live expression of music from artist to audience – making it no surprise that the lyrics for the album’s opener, “Anything For Now,” meditates on mosh pits and music venues. Bell spoke on their live sets, saying, “We’re always trying to break down this barrier of the audience thinking that we’re performing for them. We want to bring them into the album and into our performances as much as possible.”