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Whether she wins or not, there’s no doubting that Bowersox is season nine’s finest artist. By Eric Ditzian Crystal Bowersox Photo: FOX It’s final report card time in our “American Idol” classroom, but before we get into sizing up Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze’s performances , the first grade has simply got to go to the show’s producers. Y’all get a wholehearted Excellent for the out-of-the-box decision to ditch those cloying original singles from past seasons (“This is My Now”! “No Boundaries”!) and let the contestants sing cover songs. Thus what we got on Tuesday night was the prospect of six great songs, and the challenge for our remaining two students was to sing them well. That didn’t always happen. Even this late in the game, our two finalists are not summa cum laude all-stars. But they both have come a long way since their Chicago auditions. We’re happy to think that both Bowersox and DeWyze will be moving on to careers as recording artists. But only one of them will walk away with title of season nine’s valedictorian. It’s time to whip out the red pen and lay down some grades with our last “Idol” report card of 2010. Excellent Crystal Bowersox, “Up to the Mountain (MLK Song)” : MamaSox saved her best for last. Really, this Patty Griffin cover might have been her finest effort of the entire season. It was a “moment” — that oft-referenced, usually elusive connection between artist, material and audience — and it left us with goose bumps galore. We can compare her to other artists — Janis Joplin, Tracy Chapman — but Crystal deserves a little more respect than that: In the 21st century, she’s a true original. Mixing up soul and gospel and blues and folk traditions, she created something wholly fresh. Who’s to say if she’ll win “Idol.” Predict the whims of the voting public at your own peril. But there’s no doubting that Bowersox is the finest artist of season nine. Good Lee DeWyze, “Everybody Hurts” : The 24-year-old bounced back from a weak opening number with a surprisingly powerful take on this R.E.M. track . Pitch problems aside, the arrangement was on point and the song was a perfect fit for Lee’s style and vocal abilities. But he still didn’t look comfortable. What’s more, he looked like he was about to burst into tears when Simon Cowell called him out for being nervous. Crystal Bowersox, “Black Velvet” : First things first, MamaSox: What was with your awkward negotiation of those stairs? We wondered why you did so much moving and shaking across the stage last week during your killer “Maybe I’m Amazed,” and we were almost angry that you decided to do it again this week. Nonetheless, you sounded great, even if you looked a bit uncomfortable taking those steps in your high heels. The song had blues, it had rock, it had your fierce vocals on display. This was the first song of the night to truly rock, and we dug it the most. Satisfactory Crystal Bowersox, “Me and Bobby McGee” : We’re hesitant to drop MamaSox down into this category because no matter what she sings, the 24-year-old sounds amazing. Yet not only was this her weakest performance of the night, it was also far less compelling then her original take on the song in March. When she gets to that free-flowing soul vibe of hers, it’s simply magical. And she was instantly comfortable up on the stage from the first note in a way DeWyze just couldn’t match. The second half of the song, though, sped up too quickly, veering into an almost honky-tonk swing that made it seem as if Crystal was just trying to keep up. Two months ago, this would have earned her a Good grade. On finale night, it was just Satisfactory. Lee DeWyze, “Beautiful Day” : Cowell implored DeWyze to come out for his third and final performance and make it a 10-out-of-10 game-changer. His overly serious take on U2’s “Beautiful Day” was anything but that. Pitchy from the very beginning, the very definition of a karaoke performance, his rendition was all sorts of wrong. As he struggled to sustain those climactic notes, we worried several blood vessels in his neck were about to burst. Kudos for not passing out onstage. Alas, staying upright is not enough to get you anything higher than a Satisfactory. Unsatisfactory Lee DeWyze, “The Boxer” : Why does the guy find himself dangling at the low end of the grading curve on this one, a tune that was arguably his finest when he first unleashed it earlier this month? It was simply Lee’s most uninspired performance of the evening. Maybe it was a case of finale nerves, but it was utterly lacking in passion and energy. The fuller arrangement overwhelmed his less than powerful vocals. And, through no fault of his own, this second go at the Simon & Garfunkel tune just lacked the surprise factor it had earlier in the season. When Cowell has to resort to an awkward metaphor in which he implores Lee to kiss him on the lips, you know DeWyze was just a mess up on the stage. Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos Lee DeWyze: From Illinois Boy To ‘American Idol’ Star Crystal Bowersox’s ‘American Idol’ Experience ‘American Idol’ Season Nine Performances

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‘American Idol’ Report Card: Did Bowersox Or DeWyze Top The Finale?