While reviewing Beyoncé's performance at the Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, on August 5, 2007, Jon Pareles of The New York Times wrote, "Beyoncé needs no distractions from her singing, which can be airy or brassy, tearful or vicious, rapid-fire with staccato syllables or sustained in curlicued melismas.
While examining Beyoncé's performance at the Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, on August 5, 2007, Jon Pareles of The New York Times wrote, "Beyoncé requires no diversions from her singing, which can be ethereal or bold, heart-wrenching or intense, rapid-fire with staccato syllables or sustained in intricate melodic patterns.