Matlack_specimen_page

First off, I think the typeface should be normalized a little bit. According to Erik Spiekermann a good typeface differs only 15% from the skeleton. I don't know if that is true exactly but from my experience typefaces which aren't overly extravagant work better in text. For display you can go a bit more crazy but I still think Matlack is taking it a bit too far. I would personally close all the gaps except for at the bottom of the bowl of /P and I would open up the spot where the bowl of /R connects with the stem. For reference, Pollen has this feature.

You can keep all the gaps though but then the typeface would only perform best in display settings. If you have enough time and interest I would recommend finishing this font with this concept and make an alternate with the gaps closed and less weight contrast for text. You need to make the gaps more consistent though, both in the sharpness and width of the gaps. B/D/S/U I would close up. Also make sure all the thin strokes have the same width.

A – The top sticks out a bit too much. The left foot could also be a bit larger. I think I would extend the right serif of the left foot a little bit. If you extend the outer serifs too much you will get issues with the kerning because /A already has a lot of space on both sides because of the triangle shape.
B – I don't like the gap in /B but the general design is really beautiful. The top bowl should be a tiny bit skinnier though.
C – The left might be a tiny bit too fat. The serif in the top terminal is really thin. I would give that serif a bit more weight at the bottom so it's a bit more like a spike than a very thin stroke; a bit more like the serifs in B/D. The bottom terminal could use a bit more weight and it probably should go inwards a little bit more so it doesn't stick out this far.
D – Give the top and bottom of the right side of the bowl a little bit more weight.
E/F – Give the terminals a bit more weight and particularly make the middle one a bit larger.
G – Give the top serif a bit more weight like in /C. The vertical part on the right and the curve below that could be a bit more fat so it equals the weight of other letters.
G/O/Q – Your typeface has a greater focus on the verticals so I would go for a weight distribution according to a vertical axis rather than slightly diagonal. Your lowercase /o is perfect.
K – Give the leg more weight to match the weight of the stem.
L – Condense the letter a bit more. /L is a problematic letter because there's so much space on the top right so by condensing the letter a bit more you will provide a better rhythm in text.
M/N – The top serifs should be larger and the foot should be a lot larger (more like the left foot of /A).
P – The letter is falling to the right. You should extend the right serif a bit to give the letter a more stable base and to fill a bit more of the space underneath the bowl.
R – The letter seems a bit more squared than other letters (like P) and as I mentioned before, I would open up the spot where the bowl meets the stem rather than at the leg. The leg should be more fat.
S – With the serifs it's the same as C/G. Make the spine a bit more smooth at the top.
T – Give the terminals more weight.
U – Make the right serif a lot bigger.
V/W – Make the right serif a bit bigger. A for /W, you probably need to open up the right, just like you did with the left.
X/Y – Make the right top serifs larger and the left foot of /X.
Z – Make the serifs a bit bigger.

As for the lowercase letters, I should first mention that the feet are rather small. You need to make them equal the feet of your uppercase letters if possible, or at least make them a bit bigger. I also noticed that all verticals in the lowercase are thinner than in the uppercase. You need to keep the weight consistent throughout the typeface.
a – Make the top terminal a little bit smaller and don't let it extend beyond the bowl this far.
b/d/e/p/q – The bowls and curves need some work. Smooth it out a bit more.
b/d/h/k/l – I would add a serif (pointing to the left) to the ascenders.
d – The ascender should be the same as in /b. In fact, /d is not a mirror image of /b. /b has a larger top while /d has a larger bottom. Have a look at Baskerville for example.
f – I would give the /f a base. You can make an /f without a base in the italic.
g – The whole letter is too light and the ear needs to be bigger. The link is a bit too sharp.
h – The letter is too wide and the thin stroke is too thin. /h should be the same as /n but with an ascender.
i/j – The tittles (dots) should be moved a little bit to the right, and make them slightly bigger.
k – The serif of the arm should be bigger and the leg should be more fat.
m – The letter /m should be a bit more condensed than 2 /n's.
p/q – Same as with b/d, p/q should not be mirror images of the same letter. Look at Baskerville again.
r – Extend the right serif of the foot (like in /P) and make the arm a bit shorter, otherwise you will experience spacing problems.
s – Same as with /S, make the serifs a bit more fat and smooth out the spine a bit more.
t – Give the terminal more weight and extend it a bit more. The ascender should be a lot shorter.
u – The /u is never an upside down /n. The curve in /u needs to be optimized because while the curve works in m/n, if you turn it upside down to make a /u the curve is a bit odd. I would distribute the weight a bit more vertically. Also, the /u should have diagonal serifs at the top. Right now you have a /u with feet at the top. Look at Baskerville.
v – The letter is slightly falling to the right.
w – The letter is falling to the left and you condensed it a bit too much compared to /v.
x/y/z – Keep the thin stroke consistent in weight. The thin stroke in /x is a lot skinnier than in other letters and the thin stroke in /y is rather fat. I quite like the fact that you gave the /y a foot on the descender but it should be a bit bigger. The right top serif should also be bigger.
z – Give the serifs more weight.

The numerals need quite some work. Keep the thick and thin strokes consistent with the rest of the typeface. Lower the horizontal in /4. /6 and /9 are falling to the left. I would close the gap in /0 and the gap in /8 is not logical; open up the parts where the curve connects with the center on the top right and bottom left of the center.

& – The top should be rounder and the thin stroke should be more thin. I personally always have trouble with the ampersand as well. It's one of the most difficult characters to get right I think.
? – The question mark is falling slightly to the right. Bring the right side a bit more towards the center. Also, make the thin strokes thinner and make the terminal smaller.

The quotes and comma look really sexy; definitely keep those like they are.

I think that concludes my criticism.