A picture is worth a thousand words, so it's no surprise the one above could be interpreted a number of ways. If I didn't know that bored-looking man was the lead singer of up-and-coming British band Bloc Party, I'd think he was a tired student listening to his professor yammer on about trigonometry. Either way, he doesn't look very excited---and neither will you, if you get suckered into buying God Bless Bloc Party, a lackluster attempt to cash in on the band's recent success on both sides of the pond. Here's hoping you don't fall for it.

Truth be told, it's not the worst music documentary in recent memory: among other brief highlights, the live performances by this energetic four-piece help break up the dull, awkward chunks of behind-the-scenes footage scattered throughout. Writhe in pain as band members mumble through half-hearted questions, looking as if they'd rather be anywhere else than in an interview. It's hard to blame them, either: only a handful of music documentaries really break the mold---and more often than not it's the music we're genuinely interested in, not watching band members make sandwiches backstage. It's also worth noting that the best music documentaries also feature established bands with more than one full-length album under their belt. Silent Alarm is a great album, even one of 2005's best---but it's still only one album.

Don't get me wrong: I love Bloc Party's music, and that's exactly why God Bless Bloc Party is so disappointing. It's short, too: the "hour-long" documentary is over before the 45-minute mark, while the "Live in Belfort" footage includes less than half a dozen songs (NOTE: there are 13 performed in all, either in whole or in part). The production values don't fare much better on both counts: this release isn't much to look at (or listen to), which is commonplace in the documentary genre but unacceptable for concert footage. Overall, it's a poor DVD package that this talented band doesn't deserve. Just for the records, though, let's have ourselves a closer look. Shall we?

Presented in 1.33:1 and 1.78:1 non-anamorphic widescreen, the documentary and live segments look relatively bland and unimpressive. Colors are dull and muted, while the varied lighting conditions don't mesh well with the recording style. To make matters worse, a high amount of digital problems are on display, including severe instances of compression artifacts and pixellation.

The audio, presented in a standard 2.0 mix, doesn't fare much better. While the live performances exhibit a bit of punch, backstage footage is flat and poorly recorded. The thick accents, combined with a lack of subtitles or Closed Captions, make for a frustrating listening experience.

Either the standards for music documentaries have dropped or God Bless Bloc Party is a lackluster production---and anyone who's seen Some Kind of Monster, The Fearless Freaks or I Am Trying To Break Your Heart knows it's not the former. Only the most die-hard fans of Bloc Party may get any satisfaction from this release (and even then, the money would probably be better spent on a concert ticket), while those new to the band should pick up their stellar debut album instead. Either way, it's a shame this lousy DVD represents such a promising young band. Skip It.